Tim Keller once said, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”

Self-forgetfulness is the key to living a happy life.

In the book of Esther, we meet a very interesting character named Haman. He was an extremely successful, wealthy and powerful man. He was second in command to King Xerxes, who ruled over the globe-spanning Persian empire. Haman seemed to have it all, but he was not content with his life.

There was a man named Mordecai in his city who refused to show him respect and would not bow to him. Haman was so enraged by Mordecai’s lack of respect that he lost all pleasure in his life, accomplishments and success, all he could think about was destroying Mordecai and his people. He states in Esther 5:13, “Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.”

Haman is such a fascinating example of a totally self-absorbed person. People who think about themselves all the time don’t necessarily have to be outwardly prideful and abrasive, in fact, they might feel quite inferior and insignificant.

The point is that both these types of people, be it the superior type or the interior type, are totally self-absorbed.

Being self-absorbed means that we don’t engage our ministry, our job, our volunteer work or whatever else we do with our time for the joy of doing the thing itself, rather we engage in these activities, first and foremost, for how they will reflect on us, for how it will make people think well of us, admire us and praise us. The joy is not in the thing itself but only in the response we get from others.

If we do not receive the admiration and praise we feel we should have, it leads us to becoming resentful and critical of those who have, in our view, “let us down.” All the pleasure we might have gained from the service we gave in our ministry or volunteering or career dissolves into bitterness; our joy is gone, and we find ourselves in Haman’s shoes.

C.S. Lewis writes in the Screwtape Letters how God wants people to get to the place where one could:

“Design the most beautiful cathedral in the world and know it to be so and rejoice in that fact without being anymore or less glad at having done it than if it had been done by another. Jesus, you see, wants to turn our attention away from ‘self’ altogether and direct it towards him and our neighbours. Both vainglory and self-contempt equally keep the mind on the ‘self’ – both therefore lead to contempt of others and cruelty towards others” (C.S. Lewis, Screwtape Letters).

Whether our personal bent leads towards a sense of superiority or inferiority, both those things keep our minds on ourselves, and then ultimately, leads to joyless lives of never being fully satisfied. We look to people to validate us and never feel our cup is full because we are only ever thinking about ourselves.

What is the answer then?

Well, the answer is to truly take ourselves out of the mix, to just forget about our “approval rating” and engage in life’s activities for the joy of the things themselves and not for the praise we might get for doing them.

“Yes, but that’s hard,” you say, “How do I really practice self-forgetfulness?” Well, interestingly, we can look back to Haman for the answer here.

Haman was asked by the king, “What should I do for the man the king delights to honour?” Haman’s response is very interesting. Thinking that he himself is the man the king delights to honour, he suggests that the king should have the king’s robes placed on him and that he be led about the city on a horse having someone shout how the king loves this man and honours him.

This might seem like a somewhat pompous request but, in fact, it was not a bad thing to ask for. Having the king’s robes placed on your shoulders meant that you were partaking in the kingship; you were loved by the king. You were receiving the praise of the most praiseworthy person in the kingdom. To receive the praise of the praiseworthy is above all else.

Haman, in fact, asked the king for a good thing, it’s just that he asked the wrong king. There is a king who is greater and higher, the most wonderful, the most praiseworthy, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords: Jesus. We, as Christians, have had the most praiseworthy King, declare to the world that he loves us with an everlasting love. Jesus had his robe ripped from him at the cross so that he could place his robe of righteousness on us. His actions on the cross proved once and for all his great love for us, and it can never be taken away.

So when we think of our “approval rating,” we can know that we are approved of and loved and adopted by the God of all. We can just put it to bed and know from this day on how greatly loved we are; we can stop looking to the “wrong kings” to feel good about ourselves. In fact, we can stop being self-absorbed. We can look outward and engage in our lives’ activities for the joy of them and in seeking to help others without constantly being crippled by how people either praise us, or fail to praise us for our work, but rather know without a shadow of a doubt that we are loved and seen and precious to our king and saviour, Jesus.

Self-forgetfulness isn’t a way to punish ourselves, no, it is the door to a truly happy life, resting in the love and acceptance of our saviour.

“And behold, you will conceive in your womb and shall bring forth a son, and shall call His name Jesus” (Luke 1:31).

“She shall bring forth a Son and you shall call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

Perhaps one of the toughest tasks in early parenthood is choosing the name our children will carry with them through their lives.

My wife, Joy, and I have four children whom we carefully and thoughtfully named. Bethany was named for the city where Jesus’ greatest miracle took place. Shannon was named after a beautiful river in Ireland. Jeremy’s is another form of the Biblical name, Jeremiah. Starlin, the name of our youngest daughter, means “beautiful star.”

Thankfully, the naming of God’s Son was not a decision Joseph and Mary had to make. The angel instructed them both…“Call Him Jesus.”

But wait! Jesus had lots of names. Isaiah 7:14 said, “Call Him Immanuel.” Isaiah 9:6 goes over the top on the names, adding five more: “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Paul, in Philippians 2:9-10, simply says God gave Jesus the “name above all names.” A name is more than the personal word your mother uses to call you to dinner. Your name speaks of how people see you, your reputation and character. To call Jesus “by His name,” is to understand that He’s all we need. He’s the One with the highest integrity, character and capability. He has an exalted name, a good name, a trusted name. His name is “wonder-filled, wisdom-filled, peace-filled.” He is the perfect, eternal and powerful Father. And that name, “Jesus.” That one is where it all starts. That name means “Savior.” Start there. Call on that name; then let Him be all He came to be.

“And Mary said: ‘My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.’” (Luke 1:46)

What mission did Jesus come to accomplish? What was His target group?

No guess work needed here. In Luke 19:10 Jesus said, “The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Let’s remember that as we move deeper into the Gospel story, beyond the manger.

His mission? Bring salvation! His target group? Lost people! But who falls into that category of “lost?”

Isaiah 53:6 provides the unsettling answer. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one to his own way.”

There are no sinless people here. There are some decent people like Mary and Joseph, but as Isaiah said we have “all have gone astray.” And…brace yourself. That includes Mary. She says it here, “My spirit has rejoiced in God MY Savior.”

Sin claims and breaks us all. Mary was no different in that regard. Though she was seeking to live righteously, Mary had marks on her soul like all of us. She needed Jesus as much as any of us.

Imagine Mary, facing the inescapable conclusion that day in Elizabeth’s house, that she was actually carrying, in her womb, under her heart, tucked just below her rib cage, her own Savior. And when she began to grasp who and what this baby was, and why He was coming, no wonder she rejoiced in God who was extending the hope of salvation to her.

Who needs a Savior? That would be me…and you…and even Mary. Let’s follow Mary’s great example and make today another day of rejoicing in our Savior.

“And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was with him. 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” (Luke 2:25-26).

His name was Simeon. We don’t know his occupation, but at heart, he was a “waiter.” He was waiting for the “consolation of Israel” aka the Messiah. He was living with a personal promise. We don’t know how or when or where the promise was made known to him. We don’t know how long he had been living with a sense of indestructibility, but Simeon had been told with certainty that he would live to see the Messiah.

I can imagine him waking up early every day, maybe even having trouble sleeping at times, wondering if the next day would be THE day he would “see the Lord’s Christ.”

Perhaps he heard about the Christmas plan before the priest Zechariah & his wife Elizabeth, or Mary & her carpenter fiancé, Joseph. Maybe this news had been entrusted to him for years rather than just days, weeks or months. But that ancient hope, voiced by the long line of prophets, was now his own soul-strengthening secret as angels of heaven practiced their lines for the big event. God’s promises have a way of doing that, don’t they? Hold tightly to the ones you’ve discovered.

Let’s leave Simeon in his season of anticipation for a few weeks, and try to grasp his perspective and imagine what this would have been like to wonder if every baby, boy or full grown man, might have been “the One you’ve been waiting for.”

When a spiritual revival swept through England in the 19th century, it also revived a love for the Jewish people and prayers for their restoration. One brave mother, a product of the earlier Great Awakening revival, taught her young son to pray for Israel and the peace of Jerusalem and those who love Israel: “May they prosper who love you” (Psalm 122:6).

Daily they knelt by his bed and prayed, “O Lord, we would not forget Thine ancient people, Israel; hasten the day when Israel shall again be Thy people and shall be restored to Thy favor and to their land.”¹ On December 9, 1917, on the eve of Hanukkah, an answer to their prayers began to unfold. A phalanx of British officers led by General Edmund Allenby (1861-1936) entered Jerusalem. As a gesture of respect, Allenby stepped down from his horse and walked in. He deliberately chose to walk, he stated, because only the Messiah should ride into the Holy City.²

The grip of the Turkish Empire, which had ruled for some 400 years, crumbled, and Jerusalem was now in the hands of Britain, a nation sympathetic to their plight. Israel’s restoration had begun.The young boy who prayed with his mother by his bed grew up to be General Allenby. He not only witnessed this miracle, but also became part of the answer to his boyhood prayers.

The Stage Was Set

Earlier, November 1917, the Balfour Declaration had been issued by the British government and adopted by the League of Nations, establishing the boundaries of a new Jewish state in the Palestine area.

Thirty years and another World War later, on November 29, 1947, Resolution 181, the official UN act to partition Palestine, allotted the new Jewish state a small part of western Palestine. The resolution recognized the right of the Jewish people to a state, not just a “national home” as the Balfour Declaration stated.

My close friend, the late Mayor Ron Nachman of Ariel, Israel, told me about the night Resolution 181 was celebrated. “I was five years old, but I remember everything. The celebration, the joy, the happiness, the dancing in the street. Then the next day, the riots began.” Ron experienced the joy, followed by the terror of continuing conflict as he literally grew up with the state of Israel.

On May 14, 1948, the British mandate over Palestine expired. A proclamation was approved, declaring the establishment of the state of Israel. The United States recognized the new nation that same night. The dry bones of Ezekiel’s prophecy had come together (Ezekiel 37). “Sinews and flesh” gave the bones physical substance. The nation was restored to its physical state. But there was “no breath,” Ezekiel observed. Then God began breathing life into the Holy Land, through men and women like Ron Nachman, his family and fellow citizens.

Patterns

J. Vernon McGee once commented, “Prophecy is the mold into which history is poured.” The Hebrew mindset identifies patterns in Scripture and history. Prophecy is best understood when we recognize those patterns. On the world stage, with Israel’s re-birth, God was moving, revealing some interesting historic patterns.

Consider this:
Jesus connected His coming Kingdom to the Genesis flood saying, “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Noah, whose name means “rest” or “comfort,” spent 120 years building an ark according to the Lord’s instructions. He was no doubt jeered, questioned and ridiculed as he warned people of impending judgment. His ark provided safe shelter for his family and prepared them for the task of rebuilding their world after the flood.

Jesus, the One who offers rest to the weary, made the connection to Noah (Matthew 11:28). His Kingdom will finally bring sanctuary and comfort to the world.

A New Ark

In 1897 Theodor Herzl, known as the father of Zionism, began to build a new “ark” by organizing the first Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland. Zion is the ancient name for Jerusalem.

The stated primary goal was to aim at “establishing for the Jewish people a publicly and assured home in Palestine.”³ The year 2017 marks 120 years since Herzl began to build the new ark, Israel, a sanctuary and homeland for a weary chosen people.

A 50-Year Pattern

Fifty years is significant in the Jewish calendar. The 50th year was the Year of Jubilee, when bond slaves were released, land restored and debts forgiven. A holy, life-giving year. Herzl wrote in his diary, “In Basel I founded the Jewish State…maybe in five years, certainly 50, everyone will realize it.” Resolution 181 and the historic night Ron Nachman recounted to me, was passed exactly 50 years later in 1947.

The Six-Day War that put East Jerusalem and the Temple Mount back into the hands of the Jewish people followed the miracle of General Allenby’s liberation of Jerusalem in 1917 by exactly 50 years, in 1967. The Six-Day War was a milestone for me, when at age 11 I saw the dramatic headlines of Israel’s miraculous victory. My interest in Israel and prophecy grew as the ancient land of the Bible took on flesh and bones.

The 1967 Six-Day War is as miraculous as the story of Joshua and Jericho. In one week, both wars saw the political, military and geographical walls tumbled down by supernatural power! It was an emotional, powerful episode in Israeli history described by reporter Mordechai Twersky: “You hear the sounds of gunfire. You hear the footsteps of Israeli soldiers, as they draw closer and closer…We hear a triumphant Brigadier General Shlomo Goren, later to become the Chief Rabbi of Israel, as he recites the memorial prayer and sound the shofar, as Israeli soldiers weep with sorrow over their comrades killed in combat.”

Amidst the sounds of weeping, gunfire and shofars, the Rabbi cried, “This year in a rebuilt Jerusalem! In the Jerusalem of old!”⁴

Fast forward 50 more years to 2017. President Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and directed the State Department to begin preparation to move the American Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem 100 years after the Balfour Declaration and 120 years after Herzl began to build the new ark, Israel, as a homeland for a weary people. God is calling His people back to the Promised Land, from all over the world, beckoning them to “the ark.”

No matter how you slice it–120 years, 100, 50 or 70–all are converging in 2018 to celebrate the anniversary of God’s chosen land for His chosen people!

Spiritual Explosion

A significant spiritual principle pervades historic events involving the Jewish people. God promised Abraham, “In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12:3). Every time God fulfills prophecy concerning the Jewish people and Israel, He pours out His Spirit in a fresh way upon the church. Within seven years of the Zionist Congress, God began to move through revivals like the Welsh Revival and Azusa Street in Los Angeles. The 20th century progressed through two World Wars, “nation against nation.” The prophet Isaiah’s question, “Can a country be born in a day?” (Isaiah 66:8, NIV), was answered when Israel was recognized as a nation on May 14, 1948.

In 1949, 29-year-old Billy Graham conducted a crusade in Los Angeles that launched his evangelism ministry. Two years later, Bill Bright, also 29, launched a worldwide ministry called Campus Crusade for Christ. Right after the Six-Day War in 1967, the Jesus Movement revival captured a generation’s heart, including mine, and the modern Messianic movement was born as thousands of Jews accepted Jesus as their Messiah.

Window of Time

As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of Israel on May 14, we will have entered a historic and unique window of time, one that overlaps 2017-2018 (this is the Hebrew year 5778, which started in September 2017 and runs to September 2018). We are living in a time of unprecedented growth for the Gospel.⁵ The outpouring of God’s Spirit will continue to reach deeper and wider into the world as people hunger for the truth.

The prophet Joel made a promise that Peter repeated in his Pentecost sermon:

“And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy” (Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2:17-18).

The Hebrew word used for pour means to “spill, mound up, intensely gush out in abundance.” The promise, however, hinges on an era–the last days. We have entered that era, a window in time when Israel is celebrated, and God is pouring out His Spirit upon the world. No more business as usual! Our sons and daughters will see visions and prophesy. The older ones of us will dream and see the future!

Jesus said this to His disciples about the fig tree, a symbol of Israel: “When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near-at the doors!” (Matthew 24:32). “It” refers to the end of the age and His Second Coming.

We do not know the day or hour, but we know our Lord is coming soon (Matthew 24:42). And Israel is the sign that we need to be ready. For 70 years, the fig tree has blossomed into the beautiful homeland and the ark God promised-120 years from the dream of Theodor Hertzl. We celebrate this anniversary and this season with great joy and anticipation!

“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in His holy mountain. Beautiful in elevation, the joy of the whole earth, is Mount Zion on the sides of the north, the city of the great King” (Psalm 48:1-2).

¹ Barry Shaw, “1917 and the Liberation of Jerusalem,” Jerusalem Post, November 19, 2017. Web.
² Ibid.
³ Gotthard Deutsch, “Basel Program,” Jewish Encyclopedia. Web.
⁴ “The Six-Day War,” Jewish Virtual Library. Web.
⁵ Philip Jenkins, The Next Christendom: The Coming of Global Christianity, 3rd Ed. New York. Oxford University Press, 2011, pp. 2-3.

“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!'”– Luke 2:13-14

Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from the CalvaryChapel.com Team!

Enjoy all of the following Christmas articles:

* “The Key to Keeping Your Focus on Christ at Christmas”– Cheryl Brodersen

* “Christmas Eve: “Emmanuel at Street Level”– Bill Welsh

* “What Can I Bring Him: A Gift for a King”– Bill Welsh

* “Home for Christmas: Pondering the Gospel This Advent Season”– Keith Fortenberry

* “From the Christmas Tree to the Tree of Calvary: The Meaning Behind Advent”– Jody Ponce

* “Good News for Zechariah and for Us”– Matt Kottman

* “Christmas and the Incarnation of Christ”– Sarah Yardley

* “Missionaries and the Wise Men from the East: Similarities That Bring Encouragement”– Jeff Jackson

* “Christmas Truce: The Day World War I Stopped”– Mike Dente

* “The Grinch, The Christ and The Meaning of Christmas”– Mike Chaddick

* “The Pedagogy of Christmas: How Christmas Teaches Us About Ourselves, and What We Value Most”– Mike Chaddick

* “Why Jesus Came to Us: An Advent Meditation”– David Guzik

* “The End of Fear: An Advent Meditation”– David Guzik

* “Where Christmas Began: An Advent Meditation”– David Guzik

* “What Mary Knew: An Advent Meditation”– David Guzik

Merry Christmas from CalvaryChapel.com!

We pray you have an amazing Christmas holiday and a Happy New Year. As we take this time to reflect on the birth of our Lord and Savior this Christmas, remember the impact of the three gifts the Magi gave to Jesus: the gold, frankincense and myrrh. What gift can we bring that would be fit for our Lord and Savior, Jesus? Enjoy this short message by Pastor Bill Welsh of Refuge Calvary Chapel, as he expounds on the gifts of the Magi, and what they represent and symbolize.

Bill Welsh from Calvary Chapel on Vimeo.

I don’t know about you, but it takes a concerted effort on my part every December to keep my focus on the true meaning of Christmas. Certainly there are very few reminders in the public displays that feature the Originator of Christmas. Over the loudspeakers in markets and malls music about elves, reindeer, mistletoe, and fireplaces all aglow herald the coming of December 25^th as a day to give presents, eat huge meals, and feel nostalgic.

Shopping lists, obligations to family and friends, a host of activities often crowd out any thoughts of the “reason for the season.”

Years ago I had a plan to remedy any neglect of Jesus in my house at Christmastime. My idea was for our family to build a manger for Jesus. Surely, that would displace all the distractions and place Christ at the center of our home! With my two youngest children in tow, I went about collecting all the necessary items to build our manger. We bought straw, wood, and nails. I needed the wood cut to specific lengths and was overjoyed to share my Christmas plans with the hapless man who helped me at Home Depot.

Arriving home, Brian and I brought all the kids together and explained the reason for building the manger. The teenagers looked unenthusiastic, and even the younger two looked dismayed. It didn’t matter to me. I was sure that once we all started assembling the manger, the children would catch on to the true spirit of Christmas.

The boards for the sides of the manger were crossed, and it was time for the first nail to join them. Brian held the nail tight and handed the hammer to our oldest daughter. Even before the hammer struck, her disdain began to emerge. “How far do I have to drive the nail in?”

“Don’t you want to drive it in all the way?” I asked her with unnerving enthusiasm.

She looked disturbed. “Not really. I have plans for today.” After three light strokes that barely imbedded the nail in the wood, she was off to take an urgent phone call from a friend.

Our son, Char, was next. He was at the cusp of being a teenager. Still, he looked suspiciously at the project at hand. “Seriously, what are we doing here? Is this another one of mom’s brainstorms?” It was a disappointing reaction. However, I still held out hope. Char was my builder. This was something he could do with his dad. It was manly.

“Just swing the hammer,” Brian said without emotion. Char took a few swings. The nail connected and held the crossbars together.

“Don’t you want to do the other side now?” I asked, still brimming with anticipation.

“Not really. I was hoping to go to my friend’s house today.”

That was fine. I still had my two stalwart, youngest children. They loved Christmas! Just a few days earlier, I had found Barbie and a Ninja turtle bowing down in the simple ceramic nativity I had displayed on the coffee table in the living room. I was touched by the precious display of worship.

My youngest daughter looked distraught. “I think this is for boys,” she said, as she eyed the hammer apprehensively. Brian handed her the hammer. “I really don’t want to do this,” she said, handing it back to her father.

“Just one swing,” I coaxed.

Kelsey took the hammer back. She did her duty – one swing of the hammer that completely missed its objective. She smiled. There,” she announced with finality.

Braden’s turn was next. Surely my youngest son would love this project. Hammers, nails, wood, and pounding. What four-year-old wouldn’t love this kind of power?

Unfortunately, Braden’s swings were a bit unpredictable. His aim was slightly off.

As the hammer barely missed Brian’s fingers and body, he sighed and gave me one of those looks like, “I am doing this for you because I love you.”

Obviously the moment was over. It had come and gone, and the kids hadn’t grasped any of the deeper meaning to Christmas. There had been no sudden burst of understanding. There was no deep spirit of worship. Instead, there was a pile of wood and hay lying in my driveway waiting to be constructed into something that resembled a manger.

Right about that time, Gaylord, our assistant pastor, dropped by to discuss some church business. Immediately he was conscripted into the manger project, much to the relief of all the Brodersen children. He and Brian finished the manger in no time and set it up on the hearth in our living room. There it waited until Christmas.

I learned that day that Christmas must be a disposition of the heart. You can’t ring it in by an activity or project. You must pray it in and set your heart and mind on it. You must determine to make Christmas about placing Jesus at the center of your own heart and home.

Though my kids might have missed the true meaning of my project, they certainly did not miss the true reason for Christmas. Christmas is about God sending His most precious gift to us in the Person of Jesus. “Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government will be upon His shoulder …” That family Christmas years ago was crowned by all of our attention riveted to the ultimate gift of God.