Look inside this book.Where the Bush is Burning: A Daily Devotional by [Thomas Tice]

Tag: Luke 2
Christ Manifested

Christ Manifested

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He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.   

I John 3:8   

For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  

Luke 2:11-12  

How did Christ manifest Himself to the world? The second part of our text tells us. The speakers are the angels who announced His birth. The audience is the shepherds who were working close to Bethlehem. The first part of our text speaks of His overarching purpose. The second part tells us the manner of His appearance.  The manner is important to our understanding of His mission. Humanity had originally interacted with the devil resulting in the transgression of God’s command. Thus, the work of the devil was to destroy humanity, the handiwork of God. God had both a purpose and plan to destroy this work of destruction. This is where the incarnation of Christ became important. In order to destroy the destructive work of the devil, Christ became a man, the God-Man, and began living a perfect life as a true human. The purpose was to reverse the carnage brought to humanity by Adam’s sin. Thus the incarnation was critical to the success of the entire operation. We have chosen to celebrate it at this time of year, not because the time is important, but because the event is. 

Our Wise and Sovereign God, 
we rejoice that You do all things well. 
We praise You that You have sent Your Son into the world, 
to destroy the works of the devil.  

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
Preparing For Worship

Preparing For Worship

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9:30 am worship service
10900 Huron Street
Northglenn, CO

Scripture: Luke 2:1-11

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered.  And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Sermon: For This Purpose – Tomm Tice

  1. How was Christ manifested?
  2. Why was Christ manifested?
  3. How well has Christ succeeded?

Westminster Shorter Catechism Question #91

How do the sacraments become effectual means of salvation?

The sacraments become effectual means of salvation, not from any virtue in them, or in him that doth administer them; but only by the blessing of Christ, and the working of his Spirit in them that by faith receive them.

1 Corinthians 3:7; 1 Corinthians 1:12-17

Worship

Infant Holy, Infant Lowly
The First Noel
O Come All Ye Faithful
Christ Manifested

Christ Manifested

By |

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.   

I John 3:8   

For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  

Luke 2:11-12  

How did Christ manifest Himself to the world? The second part of our text tells us. The speakers are the angels who announced His birth. The audience is the shepherds who were working close to Bethlehem. The first part of our text speaks of His overarching purpose. The second part tells us the manner of His appearance.  The manner is important to our understanding of His mission. Humanity had originally interacted with the devil resulting in the transgression of God’s command. Thus, the work of the devil was to destroy humanity, the handiwork of God. God had both a purpose and plan to destroy this work of destruction. This is where the incarnation of Christ became important. In order to destroy the destructive work of the devil, Christ became a man, the God-Man, and began living a perfect life as a true human. The purpose was to reverse the carnage brought to humanity by Adam’s sin. Thus the incarnation was critical to the success of the entire operation. We have chosen to celebrate it at this time of year, not because the time is important, but because the event is. 

Our Wise and Sovereign God, 
we rejoice that You do all things well. 
We praise You that You have sent Your Son into the world, 
to destroy the works of the devil.  

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
The Manifold Grace of God

The Manifold Grace of God

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The Manifold Grace of God

For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.

Luke 2:30-32

As Simeon came to the conclusion of his cameo appearance in the Scripture, he has much to say regarding Christ and His Work. God had satisfied his long-cherished desire to see Christ. He had fulfilled His Word to the old gentleman in every way. Simeon, in response to that, took the opportunity to magnify the manifold grace of God. He begins his exaltation of God’s Providential Plan with a reference to the Grand Scheme of Salvation. he begins, not with Israel, but with the Purpose of God to extend the reach of the Gospel, ‘before the face of all peoples.’ He then specifically mentions that Christ is, ‘a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles.’ After that, he speaks of, ‘the glory of your people Israel.’ Simeon saw, in Christ, the answer to all of humanity’s deepest needs. As he prepared, to reach the end of his earthly journey, Christ was His watchword. He would magnify the manifold grace of God and glorify Christ. This is what a clear sight of Christ will do for us as well. When God shows us Christ, satisfies our desire for Him and fulfills His Word to us, we must magnify His manifold Grace. We cannot keep silent. We ‘cease from man, whose breath is in his nostrils,’ and turn rather to making much of Christ.

Our Almighty and Gracious God,
we praise You for every manifestation of Your Goodness.
We rejoice that You, have brought Christ unto us,
and that You show Him to us again and again, to the praise of Your Glory.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning
God’s Word Fulfilled

God’s Word Fulfilled

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God’s Word Fulfilled

And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

‘Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation….’

Luke 2:26 & 29-30

All the people of God are utterly dependent upon the Word of God. From the ancient days when God first began to reveal Himself to humanity, we have looked to His Word to show us His Wisdom, His Will, and His Ways. Simeon reflects this dependence upon the Word of God. Our text declares, ‘…it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.’ It was a matter of great satisfaction to him, as he held the Infant Christ in his arms that God had, indeed fulfilled His Word to him. He says very clearly, ‘Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation….’  For our own benefit, we may also seek God that He will, as a matter of fulfillment of His word, give to us a clear sight of Christ. This will draw us consistently to the Word of God. He has magnified His Word above all His Name. It is in the Scriptures that we will get a clear sight of Christ. Whether it is by the reading, or the in-depth study or the preaching , or the memorization, or the meditation upon, or the use of it in prayer, the Scripture is where we will behold Christ. As we go to the Scriptures, let us seek, on every occasion to desire, more than anything else, to see Christ. All Scripture relates to Him, if we have the eyes to see Him. As He said, ‘You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.’

O, God of Truth,
we rejoice that You will do what You have said.
We praise You that Christ is the Living Word,
and that You display Him before us, line by line, throughout the written Word.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

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