A Covering

Sinclair writes, “The picture language behind the Greek word for ‘bears’ may come as a surprise. The verb means ‘to cover’, ‘to pass over in silence’ or ‘to keep confidential’. But in its noun form it means a roof! What’s the connection? Simple: a roof covers the house. It keeps the rain out and protects the household. So, love is like a roof: it prevents leaks; it copes with all weathers; it covers things up—including a ‘multitude of sins’ (1 Peter 4:8).”

When we love people, we put up with a lot, just because we love them. Sinclair recalls a friend doing ministry among down-and-outs and their families, and noticing how he could stand right next to someone who smelled terrible without giving away whether he noticed. He could put up with it because he knew how Christ put up with him; he noticed other people’s needs more than their smells.

In the same way, Jesus loves us despite all the ways we offend him. It was Christ’s love for him that enabled Paul to devote so much energy to loving Christians who were difficult, like the Corinthians, as well as those who gave him nothing but joy. He gave a simple explanation of how he could act with such patience and perseverance: “The love of Christ controls us” (5:14). Loving others by bearing with them was a natural consequence of Paul understanding how much Jesus loved him, and how much that love bore with him first.

That same love bears with us too. Because of his great love for us, Jesus chose to bear our sins on the cross. We don’t need to bear God’s judgement for our sin because Jesus bore it for us. To go back to the picture language Paul uses, Jesus has put a roof over our heads. In him, we have a hiding place; we can be safe in Jesus’ love for us, and free to love others in the same way.

Today, consider what God is calling you to put up with at the moment. What difference does it make that Jesus bears your sins? Praise God for sending Jesus to be your hiding place, and pray for his love to control all you do and say.

Love Came Down at Christmas by Sinclair B. Ferguson (published by The Good Book Company) available to buy at Eden Christian Bookstore or Amazon.

Rejoicing: Right or Wrong?

In Romans 1, Paul writes a damning exposé of sins ranging from worship of animals, through unnatural sexual relations, to gossip and disobeying parents. His closing words have particular resonance: “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do those very things but also approve of those who practice them.” (Romans 1:32) Sin is never content with its presence merely being tolerated: it must be approved, and even celebrated.

Why does it matter what we approve? Why does Paul call us to rejoice in the truth instead of in wrongdoing? It’s because we become like whatever we rejoice in. And though we might think we can keep that hidden, it will always make itself known. Social media gives endless opportunities for us to share our intimate thoughts and feelings, as well as the general everyday things of our lives. We can almost be certain that when we apply for a job, the company will examine our social media presence to get an idea of what kind of person we are! They will find patterns in our posts, showing the things we care about, and therefore who we truly are.

Sinclair writes, “Who we really are emerges in the trivial and incidental details of our lives—in our handwriting, our tweets, and in a thousand other ways. And what we love, what we rejoice in, leaves a permanent mark on our characters; we can never ultimately hide it. Followers of the Truth rejoice in the truth, and that never remains hidden.”

Jesus Christ brings “grace and truth” to a world that is under the power of “the father of lies” (John 1:17, 8:44). He comes to those who have “exchanged the truth about God for a lie” (Romans 1:25), who have believed the lie that he isn’t wholly kind and good and his word can’t be trusted. Through Jesus, God exposed that lie; Jesus, the Truth, conquered the lie on the cross and has set us free. When we love and rejoice in the truth, we become more like what we love, and the One we love!

Today, think about Sinclair’s words: “Who we really are emerges in the trivial and incidental details of our lives.” What are some of the details of your life that reveal your character and what you rejoice in? Pray that God would help you to rejoice in the truth and in good things.

Love Came Down at Christmas by Sinclair B. Ferguson (published by The Good Book Company) available to buy at Eden Christian Bookstore or Amazon.

The Father’s Heart

Sinclair writes, “There is something satanic about an ability to keep a mental dated index of rights and wrongs done. It is a form of self-love, always either defending or aggrandising itself. It is not even necessary for the person to be known personally, but only that they have a reputation that can be resented. That resentment—like jealousy—may appear in subtle and thinly disguised ways.”

Judas Iscariot’s response to Mary of Bethany is a textbook example of this. In John 12, Mary anoints Jesus feet with a lot of expensive oil and wipes them with her hair, but all Judas can think about is the value of the perfume. He hides his calculations behind a veneer of charity, talking about the good the money could have done for the poor, but John reveals his resentful heart: Judas was in charge of the disciples’ finances, and “used to help himself to what was put into [the money bag].” (John 12:6) He was only thinking of how he could personally benefit.

A resentful heart can’t stand seeing others wholeheartedly and unselfconsciously displaying their love for Christ. But love means that we delight to see someone express their devotion to the Lord. A resentful heart is always calculating: tallying up grievances, reckoning up grudges. But love “keeps no record of wrongs.” (1 Corinthians 13:5, NIV)

Some of us may be afraid that, even though we have been forgiven, the Father still harbours resentment towards us. Sometimes the gospel is framed as “God loves you because Jesus died for you”, suggesting the Father’s love is reluctant or grudging. This is a profound misunderstanding. Jesus didn’t die to persuade the Father to love us: it is because the Father loves us that he sent Jesus to die. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son”. When we have put our trust in Christ and become God’s children, there is no hidden resentment towards us in our Father’s heart, only love.

Today, think about how you struggle with resentment. Are you ever tempted to think the Father resents loving you? How are these two attitudes linked? Praise God for his generous love, and pray that you would reflect his heart to others.

Love Came Down at Christmas by Sinclair B. Ferguson (published by The Good Book Company) available to buy at Eden Christian Bookstore or Amazon.

Easily Irritated?

There are many things about the Christmas season which may irritate us: endless TV adverts for the latest toys or phones, looped Christmas music in the shops, decorations and lights that have somehow tangled themselves into impossible puzzles… On one level, the reasons for our irritation are clear, but when we look deeper, we see there is a fundamental irritation with God.

In today’s chapter, Sinclair spends some time exploring our response to Jesus’ parables. This style of teaching is meant to get under our skin, to expose how our sin creates an irritation with God and his ways. Focusing on the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:10-14), he explains that we may feel irritated by this story, since we are more like the Pharisee than we realise, but the tax collector is the one who goes home justified!

Sinclair writes, “But what is the point of this diversion into understanding the parables? Simply this: only when this fundamental irritation is brought to the surface and dealt with by God’s grace will we begin to experience and express the love that ‘is not irritable’.”

We need to understand that no matter what we blame for our irritation—other people, our genes, our circumstances, our life experiences—we are really blaming God, since none of those things operate outside of his sovereign control. Only when we have accepted this and submitted ourselves wholly to his will, knowing that his ultimate purpose is to make us more like Christ, will we be able to resist responding negatively to the irritations of life. We will rest peacefully in God, knowing and trusting his love for us.

Jesus’ life was marked by irritations of all kinds, from fickle disciples to plotting religious leaders. Yet he never spoke one irritable word nor reacted with frustration to anyone; he humbly bowed to his Father’s will in all circumstances. Why? Because he could trust his Father’s perfect purpose.

Today, reflect on what sorts of things irritate you. Can you identify the irritation with God at their root? How have you been challenged by today’s reading? Pray for a heart that rests in God’s good purposes for your life.

Love Came Down at Christmas by Sinclair B. Ferguson (published by The Good Book Company) available to buy at Eden Christian Bookstore or Amazon.

Throw Yourself In

Our world is obsessed with self-directed love. We are told from a young age to know our worth and trust ourselves; that we can do anything we put our minds to; that we only deserve the best. There is a proper love of self, but it must be rooted in the truth that we are made in the image of God. Without understanding that we are made for relationship with God, we are left on our own, trying to answer life’s big questions for ourselves. It’s no wonder we end up focused on self-directed love; ourselves are all we know, and so we become all we love.

If we find ourselves wondering whether there is a point and purpose to the world, Christmas answers “Yes!” We are been made in God’s image, but have sinned and fallen short of that glory (Romans 3:23). But God’s Son, who is a perfect reflection of his image, came in love to restore that image in us. Through faith in Jesus, we can discover how we fit into the world’s purpose; we are restored to relationship with our Maker, and our self-directed love is redirected into love of our neighbours.

Sinclair writes, “In Christ, we enter a ‘new creation’, where life begins to make ultimate sense (2 Corinthians 5:17). And since we have found our true identity in Christ, we are no longer left to our own devices to try to discover who we really are. Here is a neat little summary of what happened at the first Christmas from the early fathers of the Christian church: ‘Christ became what he was not in order that we might become what we were not.’ In order to fill us, the Son of God emptied himself; and in order to give us life, the Son of God became obedient to death…”

The Son of God being born as a man was a radical event; the message of the gospel is radical, a call to die to self and live for God and others. What might this look like? One aspect is putting other people’s needs and preferences before our own: “love … does not insist on its own way.” We must throw ourselves fully into the love of Christ and allow him to change our hearts to selflessly love others.

Today, consider what might be holding you back from throwing yourself into the love of Christ. What would selfless love, that doesn’t insist on its own way, look like for you? Praise God for sending his Son in the ultimate display of selfless love, and pray for opportunities to show that same kind of love to others.

Love Came Down at Christmas by Sinclair B. Ferguson (published by The Good Book Company) available to buy at Eden Christian Bookstore or Amazon.

Love Has Good Manners

In today’s chapter, Sinclair recalls reading a newspaper article by a stand-up comedian which posed the question, “Have you noticed that there seems to be so much more rudeness today?” Many of us will surely agree that, on the whole, there seems to be less common courtesy and decency between people nowadays; research has shown that we tend to respond to rudeness with more rudeness! What might be the reason for this? Could there be a link with losing Christianity from our culture?

Sinclair writes, “What, then, is lost when we lose our Christian worldview? Our highest dignity—that as men and women we have been made as the image of God, created specifically for loving fellowship with him and with each other (Genesis 1:26-28) … Disconnected from the love of God and from loving him, the foundation and motivation for respect begins to crumble. There is a kind of inevitability that rudeness will result—to God and man.”

God’s common grace to us all means that our society remains at least somewhat loving, but the gospel’s positive impact is not felt as strongly as it once was. When we deliberately remove God from our communities and personal lives, we suffer the consequences in both big and small things (e.g. Romans 1:28-32).

In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul is teaching us how the influence of the gospel can transform our everyday lives as well as our eternal destinies. The ‘good manners’ springing from love that today’s verse encourages aren’t quaint or old-fashioned, but the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10). Sinclair writes, “Christians are not rude. That negative implies a positive: they are polite, respectful, caring, thoughtful, well-mannered. That doesn’t mean they are slaves of social etiquette, but lovers of biblical etiquette!”

We are called to be countercultural in every way, including our manners. In this way, we are witnesses of God’s love to the world around us. The Father didn’t only send his Son into the world, but sent his Spirit to live within each of us. So the Spirit of Christ—who was never rude!—indwells every believer, and works to remake us in his image.

Today, think about what it means to be well-mannered. How do you think biblical etiquette differs from social etiquette? How might you reflect the likeness of Jesus in this way? Pray that you might remember each day what it means that “Love … is not … rude”.

Love Came Down at Christmas by Sinclair B. Ferguson (published by The Good Book Company) available to buy at Eden Christian Bookstore or Amazon.

Harmonious Humility

The key to understanding the Bible is reading things in context; words should be read within verses, verses within chapters, chapters within books etc. To see why Paul felt the need to exhort the Corinthians not to be arrogant, we must look back across his letter and what was happening in the church.

In chapter 4, Paul expressed his concern that some of the Christians in Corinth were “puffed up in favour of one against another” (1 Corinthians 4:6). Groups within the church were ranking their preachers, setting themselves up as superior depending on who they followed. Some preferred Paul, some proclaimed their allegiance to Simon Peter, and others were most impressed by Apollos (1:12). Paul challenged this way of thinking, saying all preachers are just “servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.” (3:4)

Sinclair writes, “Isn’t there something immature about ranking [preachers]—or for that matter doing the same thing with other members of the church because of the gifts God has given them? God measures us by how much we grow in grace, not by the position we occupy because of our gifts.” The arrogance of the Corinthians was a heart issue; they were forgetting that all gifts were given by the same Jesus, brought by the same Holy Spirit, coming from the same God.

How can we be delivered from being “puffed up” against each other? How do we ensure we are not overestimating our own importance and demeaning others? The most powerful solution is recognising that all gifts come from Jesus, and seeing his incarnation as the beautiful harmony of giftedness and humility. Jesus’ life was one of glory exchanged for poverty for our sake: he became poor so that we might become rich. If we understand these things, there will be no room in our hearts for arrogance, because they will be full of love.

Today, reflect on the gifts you have been given by Jesus, and on what he gave up on your behalf. How will these truths motivate you to love others humbly? Praise Jesus for his willingness to humble himself for you, and pray for opportunities to do the same for others.

Love Came Down at Christmas by Sinclair B. Ferguson (published by The Good Book Company) available to buy at Eden Christian Bookstore or Amazon.

One Great Mystery

Love is humble. It never draws attention to itself or boasts in its abilities. Even when a Christian has accomplished incredible things, their understanding of what love truly means forbids boasting. Sinclair puts it like this, “You need to know something about yourself that is bigger than anything you have achieved or ever could.”

In today’s chapter, Sinclair writes about William Perkin, the young chemist who accidentally created the world’s first synthetic dye in 1856. His discovery earned him a great fortune, a knighthood and much fame. What did Perkin think of all this? Well, truthfully, all he thought of was Christ. On his deathbed, he recited the following lyrics from an Isaac Watts hymn:

When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of glory died,

My richest gain I count but loss,

And pour contempt on all my pride.

When he reached the last line, he quietly commented, “Proud? Who could be proud?” This man, so greatly honoured by many for his role in kicking off a revolution in both chemistry and fashion, knew that there was something far greater than his achievements. He knew the love of Jesus Christ, and this created in him a great love for Christ in return and a great love for other people.

God gave his only Son for us twice over: in his birth as a man, and his death on the cross. He has proven his great love for us, though we are weak and helpless sinners, his enemies, by giving his Son to die for us (Romans 5:8). This is the truth of the gospel; in the presence of this incredible mystery, pride cannot survive. There is no room for boasting, except in what Christ has done.

Today, take some time to think about the mystery of Christ’s incarnation and crucifixion. How does the gospel message suffocate your pride? In what particular areas do you need God’s help to banish boasting? Thank God for all he has done for you in Christ, and pray that you will only ever boast in the Lord.

Love Came Down at Christmas by Sinclair B. Ferguson (published by The Good Book Company) available to buy at Eden Christian Bookstore or Amazon.

Happy With Your Lot

Do you envy someone? Does even reading that question bring a particular person to mind? Often we find it harder to love the people who seem to be loved by all. Sinclair writes, “The green-eyed monster … doesn’t begin as a monster, but as a little flea. Small though it is, its bite gets under the skin. It makes us itch, then we scratch and it gets worse. Inflammation results and infection sets in. Before you know it, the poison is in your whole system.”

Christmas can often bring to light all new reasons to be envious. We may compare ourselves to that family at church who are financially better off; or think about that friend whose partner always seems to buy more thoughtful gifts; or get frustrated hearing about our work colleagues plans for yet another skiing holiday.

How often do we think about the spiritual damage that envy does? It turns us into someone who is never content, who is always wanting to have what God has given to someone else. As long as we are envious, we will never be able to say:

I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:11-13

It is possible to be transformed from being envious of others to content with our own lives. The secret is love: even the basic meaning of the word in Greek is “to be happy with your lot”.

Again, we see that Jesus is the greatest example. He was never even slightly envious, never thought that he deserved better, no matter how difficult his life was. We read in Philippians 2 that though Jesus was equal with God, he didn’t hold onto that equality, but put himself in the lowly position of a servant by being born as a man. Paul urges us to have the same mindset as Jesus, being willing to put others first in all things. To love others and to seek their good is to be cured of our envy.

Today, consider who you are tempted to envy. What would it look like for you to show a mindset like Christ’s instead? Ask God to help you be content with all the ways he has blessed you, and for him to show you how to demonstrate Christ’s love to others.

Love Came Down at Christmas by Sinclair B. Ferguson (published by The Good Book Company) available to buy at Eden Christian Bookstore or Amazon.

The Milk of Human Kindness

Defining kindness often means using a whole host of other qualities. Kindness is being generous, thoughtful, gentle, caring. Kindness can have a significant impact on another person, even if we’re never aware of it.

In today’s chapter, Sinclair explores the story of one of the most significant men in the history of the Christian church: Augustine of Hippo. Born to a Christian mother, who prayed every day for his salvation, Augustine was a brilliant man and a gifted speaker. He was determined to find fame on his own terms, but after meeting Ambrose, Bishop of Milan, his life was changed forever. Looking back over his life many years later, Augustine wrote:

That man of God received me like a father; when I came he showed me the kindness of a bishop. From that point I found myself beginning to love him. But at first it was not because he was a teacher of the truth—I had no expectation I would find that in [the] Church! It was because he was kind to me.

Though Ambrose’s words were impressive and his explanation of the gospel was clear, what really started Augustine on his journey to Christ was Ambrose’s kindness.

Sinclair writes, “You probably don’t have the gifts of an Ambrose. And perhaps you would find meeting someone as intellectually gifted as Augustine a little intimidating. Few of us feel we have the brain power to persuade somebody like that to become a Christian. But it isn’t brain power that draws people to Christ. That isn’t what first drew Augustine to Christ. It was kindness. And that—Augustine eventually discovered—is just another way of saying that Ambrose was like Jesus—because Jesus is kind. Love always is.”

In another of his letters, Paul describes Jesus’ incarnation as “when the … loving kindness of God our Saviour appeared” (Titus 3:4). Jesus was kind to everyone he met, no matter their background, nationality, financial status or age. And he has been kind to us too: taking on our nature, dying in our place, meeting us in our sin and need. His kindness is intended “to lead [us] to repentance”, just as it did for Augustine. We are now called to share that loving kindness with the people around us every day.

Today, reflect on the ways in which you have received God’s loving kindness. How could you seek to show others the loving kindness of Jesus? Thank God for his kindness to you, and pray for opportunities to pass it on.

Love Came Down at Christmas by Sinclair B. Ferguson (published by The Good Book Company) available to buy at Eden Christian Bookstore or Amazon.