From the Preacher’s Pen…

It is, unfortunately, all too easy for us to forget that God really does know us and the struggles we face. That was, of course, a part of Jesus’ coming to this earth to face those struggles, those temptations as one of us. That uniquely qualifies Him as both our ultimate High Priest and our Savior (cf. Hebrews 4:15).

In Jesus’ life on this earth, He spent most of His time between the region of Galilee and Jerusalem. He would experience the seasons that He had once promised Noah and his descendants would never end until this earth itself is finally destroyed in judgment (cf. Genesis 8:22).

As our winter approaches, let’s consider a very special season in the life here on earth of our Savior.

Winter

Jesus knew of the Psalmists praise to Him as the one who had made both summer and winter (Psalm 74:17). Living in the land of Israel He would have known that the rains of winter would be vital not only to the Spring harvest but to the rivers and lakes that would lead to the lush produce of summer. He would have learned to both treasure and appreciate Solomon’s comment about the winter being past and the rain over and gone (Song 2:11).

Travelling the mountain roads and spending so much time in and around Jerusalem Jesus would have felt the cold. He would have seen the fall of snow and known the warmth of a fire like Jeremiah described in the king’s house one cold day (Jeremiah 36:22).

As Jesus prophesied of the coming destruction of Jerusalem He would counsel that God’s people pray that their flight would not be in the cold of winter (cf. Mark 13:18). Much like His lament over Jerusalem (Luke 13:34), He would sorrow for the pain His people felt even for their sins.

But in so many ways perhaps the worst winter of His life here on earth (certainly the most poignant!) would have been His final one in Jerusalem.

Many years before Jesus had been born in Bethlehem, God’s people had rededicated the Temple and rebuilt the Alter of God after a Greek king had desecrated it with offerings of pigs. Every winter they would celebrate God’s blessing, His deliverance and that time of rededication to show their thanksgiving.

John would describe that day like this: At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon (John 10:22-23).

For centuries the Jews had looked forward to the promised one of God, the Messiah, the God-with-us fulfillment of prophecy to come and give true meaning, true direction to their lives. He would, among so many other things, tell them what to do with the pile of stones discarded from the defiled altar. Even if it had been profaned, they were afraid of completely removing from the Temple grounds what had once been holy. And so it happened that, in Jesus’ last winter here on earth, He and a crowd converged at this moment in time and history.

Their question was bluntly stated, The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly” (John 10:24).

His answer was equally blunt, I told you, and you do not believe (verse 25). Even more blunt, was His next statement, But you do not believe because you are not of My sheep (John 10:26). And the reason that He knew all about God’s sheep was the simple fact that Jesus was God! (John 10:30)

It seems pathetic that today so many will argue that Jesus wasn’t and never claimed to be God. Why? Because the very crowd gathered to demand that He reveal that He was the fulfillment of Scripture, would pick up the rocks from that pile of stone and seek to kill Him for claiming to be God (John 10:33).

For all the drama, for all the threats, for all the hatred of God, the winter was not to be the time of death for the Savior. His sacrifice, His death would have to wait until the season of new life.

Winter, with all its chill, all its threats, all its harbingers of death, is not the promise.

Another winter was approaching many later when an elderly preacher would write a final letter to his longtime friend and fellow preacher. Paul would urge Timothy to come soon (2 Timothy 4:9) bringing his coat left at Troas (verse 13) and do so before winter (verse 21). Paul would write these words all the while knowing that this winter, much like that earlier winter for Jesus His Savior, would be his last (verse 6).

Winter, once more, with all its chill, all its threats, all its harbingers of death would still not be the promise of God.

Just as night precedes the new day, so Winter, for all its harshness is but the reminder that Spring and Life are coming. You see, God designed it just that way.

Winter, with all its chill, all its threats, all its harbingers of death, is never the end, never the promise.

As our Winter descends may we remember and live for the promise of Spring, the promise of resurrection and new life in Christ! Are you ready for death or life?

— Lester P. Bagley