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Cleansing of the Sanctuary Message in Christmas Carols — 2 Comments

  1. 'God rest ye merry gentlemen' is one of my favorite carols it offers our saviors assurance of protection from the power of satan (which is often rife during festive seasons) and this reminds me of a powerful promise of God - 'I will be with you alway even unto the end of the world'

    The song in its entirety makes us aware that there's sin and its power but that we shouldn't panic at all. there's an overpowering power of salvation through Jesus christ the lamb who has overcome the world for us.

    When we offer gifts this season let the message of salvation through Jesus christ be made manifest. IT IS THE BEST GIFT we can give to an ailing world and not a gift manifesting only festive merriment. a Good matching bible text like Matt.1:21 can be chipped in the same merry christmas card. and that will make all the difference. we are merry for christmas but more merry to see them in heaven.

    (14)
  2. Jesus declared after cleansing the temple of a flurry of religious activities (Mk 11:15-17) that His "house shall be called a house of prayer for ALL nations". This is in line with the message from the angel of the Lord to the shepherds in the field, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to ALL people." (Lk 2:10). Why "ALL nations", why "ALL people"? Because God's message to humanity is that in our DNA is Adam's nature, we ALL bear "the image of the man of dust..." (1 Cor 15: 49). Scripture asserts that NO human is excluded (Rm 3:23), that it is indelibly written into our operating system (Jer 13:23), we are hopelessly imprisoned (Isaiah 44:20)! Because just like Adam's wife, Eve, humanity SEES "the tree was GOOD for food, that it was PLEASANT to the eyes, and a tree DESIRABLE to make one wise", when God declares to US the opposite!! (Gen 2:17). So Isaiah says, "ALL WE like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, EVERY ONE to HIS OWN way". Humanity's mind manifested by our many choices, views, opinions and lifestyles defaults in one direction...away from our Creator, at tremendously real personal, societal and national loss. If Adam and Eve could have only seen that their one, small choice would devolve into fratricide!
    So when Jesus cleansed the temple, it was in evidence of His ability to "save us ALL from Satan's power, when we were gone astray" because Scripture says, "Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them" (Mt 21:14). Jesus was asserting His authority to expel demons (of the mind) and establish the kingdom of God, individuals with minds under God's government for His service (Mt 12:28-29).
    I believe Adventist need to begin to look away from the understanding of the sanctuary being some structure up in heaven where Jesus is removing some commodity we impersonally call sin and bring our understanding of the sanctuary in line with the Apostles' as found in Acts 15: 13-18. Sin is not in some structure far removed from me/us. Sin is MY desires and choices outside of God's control (James 1:13-15). James, speaking at the Jerusalem Council, endorsed Peter's discourse (Acts 15:7-11) with a quote from Amos 9:11-12, effectively saying that the "tabernacle of David" is a fellowship of Jews and Gentiles who have experienced purification of their hearts, or their minds, by faith (Acts 15:8-9) and are subsequently activated for service (Heb 9:14). "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who CALLED YOU OUT OF DARKNESS INTO HIS MARVELOUS LIGHT" (1 Pt 2: 9). Isn't that "tidings of comfort and joy"?! "God rest ye merry, gentlemen" (Rom 4: 6-8).

    (3)

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