JR. Forasteros - March 9, 2014
The God of Work
We all know that hard work is a virtue. But we easily fall into the trap of turning work into a god, believing that we always need just a little bit more before we'll be content. We sacrifice our time, our energy and ultimately our families and lives to this god whose demands on us never end. Let's return to the Creator God who tells us we should do all our work in six days and spend the seventh, the Sabbath day, enjoying the life we're building. Let's remember that our worth and security come not from what we produce but from the God who created, calls and loves us.
From Series: "American Gods"
When you think of idol, you think of a little statue. But idols can be anything that distracts or distances us from God. During Lent, we're going to look at some of the most popular idols in our culture. We'll see what they are, and how they pull us away from God. We'll also discover the better way God calls us to. Join us as we discover the identities of these American gods, and turn from them to follow the one and only true God.
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Luke establishes the birth of Jesus as a showdown between two kingdoms: God’s and Rome’s. By the time Jesus was born, Augustus had been ruling as the first Roman Emperor for over 20 years. He’d firmly established his trademark imperial policy, the Pax Romana, a Latin phrase that means “Peace of Rome”.
Augustus used the Peace of Rome to entice and threaten those Rome ruled into following Rome, into living Rome’s way. The Pax Romana policy essentially claimed that Rome brought peace to the Earth. The implied message was that if you follow Rome’s way, you get peace: safety and security, protection from your enemies. If you don’t follow Rome’s way, you’re the enemy, and Rome will crush you.
Augustus used the title “Savior” to describe how he brought the Peace of Rome to the world. Check out this inscription from a calendar that dates less than a decade before Jesus’ birth:
Providence… has given us Augustus, whom she filled with virtue that he might benefit humankind, sending him as a savior, both for us and for our descendants, that he might end war and arrange all things… The birthday of the god Augustus was the beginning of the good news for the world.
This is the language Rome used to describe its ruler. The Good News is that Augustus was born. Why is that good news? Because Augustus is the Savior. He protects Rome from her enemies and brings peace to the Earth.
And this Augustus decrees that a census should be taken, so a Galilean peasant and his pregnant fiancée head to Bethlehem, where she gives birth. This is the world into which Jesus is born. Now look at what Luke tells us happens next:
That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior— yes, the Messiah, the Lord– has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”
The angelic messenger tells the shepherds there’s a new king in town. Tonight is the birthday of a new savior. This is a Gospel message to oppose Caesar’s. But the angel isn’t finished:
Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others– the armies of heaven– praising God and saying, “Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” — Luke 2:8-14 (NLT)
The angelic choir proclaims Pax to the Earth, using all the language Augustus used to describe himself.
That is quite an entrance. God is throwing down the gauntlet. God is directly challenging Caesar’s claim to bring peace to the earth. According to Luke’s Christmas story, Caesar is a false god, making false promises and offering a false peace. And the good news is that the true king has come. The good news is that in the birth of Jesus, God is bringing true peace to the Earth.
