Just suppose… [It isn’t always wise to do this. But for a moment let’s make it an exception to the rule.]… so just suppose that you were God, and you wanted to send a message to human beings, but you knew that human beings weren’t very good at listening. I’m told that at best we remember only about 20% of what we hear. The Scriptures tell us that for many centuries people largely ignored the messages God sent them, both in written form or spoken to them in the oracles of the prophets. I am reminded of the opening words to the epistle of Hebrews which declare,
In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,… Hebrews 1:1 TNIV
But they weren’t listening. So, suppose you are God, and you have Good News for people who are known to be unreceptive, news which could save them from disaster, the consequences of sin and moral self-destruction. More than that, this Good News would mean new life, peace, and joy if taken to heart, embraced and owned by faith. You have a plan to save humanity, but human beings are not listening, and all previous efforts to communicate with them have gone ignored. How would you communicate the Good News to them? How would you do that?
- Would you send supernatural messengers to tell them?
Angels perhaps?
- Would you send ordinary folks to check out the story and bear witness?
Shepherds perhaps?
- Would you send a sign in the skies for people to see?
A peculiar star perhaps?
- Would you send scholars to verify the facts and correlate the data?
Persian Magi perhaps?
- Would you condescend to the human condition and simply tell them yourself in the flesh?
God’s Son, Jesus Christ perhaps?
The amazing fact of history is that God did ALL those things! Does He get your attention? That is what Christmas is really about.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 ESV
Hidden Arrows 
Great blog, Ed!! – Chuck
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Amazing Grace, How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now am found
T’was blind but now I see
T’was Grace that taught my heart to fear
And Grace, my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
As I reflect on the Amazing Grace that was extended to my wretched soul I am almost always brought to tears especially at Christmas. My thankfulness for the gift of salvation extended to me by Our Father so that my heart could be taught to fear and my fears relieved by His sending His Son to die that I might live, well that love is so amazing this wretch never wants to lose sight of that preciousness.
R.C. Sproul who went on to see his Lord just over a year ago said,
“Reformed people and non-Reformed people both heartily agree that all who believe will be saved. They heartily disagree about who has the ability to believe.
We conclude that fallen man is still free to choose what he desires, but because his desires are only wicked he lacks the moral ability to come to Christ. As long as he remains in the flesh, unregenerate, he will never choose Christ. He cannot choose Christ precisely because he cannot act against his own will. He has no desire for Christ. He cannot choose what he does not desire. His fall is great. It is so great that only the effectual grace of God working in his heart can bring him to faith.”
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