Noel

 

What does noel mean? In the Christmas story, what purpose does the word serve? Is it in the Bible? These and more questions arise about the word noel as I sing the Christmas carol called The First Noel. You know the first verse:

The first noel, the angels did say, was to certain poor shepherds in fields where they lay. In fields where they lay keeping their sheep on a cold winter’s night that was so deep. Noel. Noel. Noel. Noel. Born is the King of Israel.

This carol gives us a first hint of what noel is. First, let's examine the word's etymology.

Noel comes from the Old Latin word (natus) meaning to be born. The Church carried natas forward into Church Latin (natalis) referring to the birthday of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. As time passed, the word became noel, a variant of the Old French nael, came to mean the feast of the nativity. Middle English translated noel nowel, a shout of joy or a Christmas song. Considering each of the translations through history, noel is a shout of joy by verbal proclamation, including songs, of the birth, the nativity (natus), of the Christ child, Jesus the Messiah.

Is the word noel in the Bible? The word noel is not stated explicitly in the Bible. Noel defines the activity of the angels. Luke 2:9-14 is not the first noel of the Bible. The angel proclaimed the Messiah’s birth to Mary in Luke 1:26-28. He spoke to Joseph, Mary’s betrothed, in Matthew 1:20-25. Before the New Testament, God foretold many prophets Himself and through His messengers about the Messiah’s birth in Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6. Micah writes of God’s foretelling of the Messiah in Micah 5:2. These are all prophecies foretelling the birth of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. They are a proclamation of great joy. The proclamations of good news for the Hebrews and all people of the birth of the One God promised. None who heard the proclamations foretelling Jesus’ birth remained unchanged. Each knew they had encountered God. These people carried God’s promise in their hearts and waited expectantly for the Christ child.

When Mary’s birth pains ceased and Jesus was born, the angels proclaimed that good news. Luke 2:9-14 records their proclamation of God’s fulfillment of His promises. The angel of the Lord (a messenger from God) stood before the lowly shepherds in the field with their sheep. These men “were terrified.” The shepherds recognized they saw a messenger from God. How did they know this? The “glory of the Lord shone around them.” The Jews understood this phenomenon. Their shared history evoked images of Moses embodying the glory of the Lord, having spent time with Him on the mountain and in the tabernacle. The Israelites asked Moses to cover his face because they feared being struck dead by God because of looking directly at God’s glory. This fear carried over to the worship in the tabernacle and, later, the temple. God told the Levites to tie a rope around the chief priest’s waist to pull him out of the Holy of Holies should he not return from offering what was required of him. If the chief priest entered into God’s presence (the Holy of Holies) without having ritually cleansed himself, he would die.

The Hebrews recognized the presence of God, so when the shepherds of Luke 2 saw the angel of the Lord, they absolutely were terrified. The shepherds recognized they saw the glory of God in His messenger and feared they would die because of being in the presence of God’s glory. Instead, the angel surprised the shepherds by telling them not to be afraid, but aware and joyous. The angel said in Luke 2:10-11, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people: Today in the city of David, a Savior has been born to you. He is Christ the Lord.” The shepherds had no reason to fear when the glory of the Lord rested upon the angels. The angels brought the good news of great joy that the Savior, of whom prophets and angels foretold for millennia, was just born. They heralded the proclamation, the good news of the birthday of the Christ. These describe what the word noel means. Proclamation in word of the good news of the Messiah’s birth.

Now, consider again the song, The First Noel.

The first Noel the angel did say

Was to certain poor shepherds in fields as they lay;

in fields where they lay keeping their sheep,

on a cold winter’s night that was so deep.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,

Born is the King of Israel

 

They looked up and saw a star

shining in the east, beyond them far;

and to the earth it gave great light,

and so it continued both day and night.

Noel, Noel, Noel, Noel,

Born is the King of Israel.

Even to this day, the proclamation of the Messiah’s birth continues to ring from one people group to another and from one nation to another. The foretelling of Jesus’ ex birth is no longer. Instead, the punctuation of His birth is an exclamation. It proclaims the salvation He gives to any person who believes in Him as the Messiah, the Savior from sin and death. Jesus’ birth was not an afterthought. From before creation, God planned to save His creation—people made in His image—because of His great love for us. Paul explains this in Ephesians 1:3-5 when he wrote to the church at Ephesus. He wrote,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms. For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love, He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will. (Berean Study Bible)

God’s love for His creation began before He created people. He heralded His love by His messengers—prophets and angels—in the Old Testament. He proclaimed the birth of His Son, Jesus, with angels. God does not mean for the proclamation to end since Jesus already was born and later crucified, risen to back to life, ascended to heaven, and now sitting at the Father’s right hand. No, the proclamation days have not ended. Jesus instructed His disciples (any person who has believed in Him and been saved) about this in Matthew 28:18-20. He said,

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all that I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Any person who has ever believed in Jesus for salvation is His disciple. To each of them, to us, He issues this commission. Christian disciples must herald the good news of Jesus' birth and the salvation He offers by their teaching, preaching, singing, and any other means possible. Love came down that day and continues to come from God. He wants all people to know of His great love and the salvation belief in Jesus as God’s Son gives.

Be the Herald. Sing Noel!

Proclaim Fellowship

 

“We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.”

— 1 John 1:3

 

John said he and the other disciples proclaimed, they declared openly to everyone. He testified. 

 

Unless a person has experienced something with at least one of his/her senses, it is not a testimony. It would be hearsay, which is when no personal senses are involved. John declared he had a personal testimony proving Jesus is who He said He was. 

 

Which of John’s senses witnessed Christ? John wrote of what he personally had seen with his own eyes and heard with his own ears. He probably could have testified based on touch, too. As the “beloved” disciple of Jesus, John probably hugged Jesus before His death and after His resurrection. 

 

John said he and the other disciples openly declared their testimony to whomever would listen about what they saw and heard from Jesus, the Son of God. Did the disciples proclaim to gather a following of disciples for themselves? Did they proclaim so they would receive offerings that would provide them with an income? Did these disciples of Jesus declare their testimony to become famous? No. John said they spent their lives proclaiming their testimony about what they’d seen Jesus do and how He lived and what they heard Jesus teach and preach. They proclaimed so that other people could have fellowship with them. 

 

What did John mean by having fellowship with them? “Fellowship” comes from the Greek word “koinonia”. Koinonia is the absolute bond of love and care among believers in Jesus that unites them with and for each other no matter the cost. This bond unites believers in fellowship with God and Jesus. Koinonia is absolute love for the benefit of the community corporately and individually, whether in joy or crisis or in excess or need.  Koinonia was very visibly seen in Acts 2:44-45 after Pentecost when many people believed in Jesus. Luke wrote it as follows:

 

“And all the believers were together and had all things in common; and they would sell their property and possessions and share them with all, to the extent that anyone had need.”

 

That is koinonia. Giving whatever you had to help others in need, doing whatever it takes to help. John and the other 11 disciples knew this sacrifice personally because of their fellowship with God and Christ and their witnessing of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and ascension. These men did not only give up the right to income or a place to call home. In their decision to follow, believe in, and fellowship with Jesus, they absolutely gave up their right to their own selves. The disciples were persecuted. Many of them died in horrendous ways. John lived to an old age, but exiled from his people. Yet, he still had fellowship with God and Jesus.

 

Where do we stand in this? Do we openly declare our faith in Jesus? Do we give God the glory for the blessings we have received? Do our lives show a fellowship with God and Jesus by doing and giving whatever they request, even their blessings, for other people’s aid? Do we have an absolute bond of Christian love and care for our brothers and sisters in Christ so that what we have would be sold to help them in their need? This shows our absolute fellowship with God and Jesus. It is our living testimony of our faith in Christ and His work in us. This shows our fellowship with Him.

 

Do you have a testimony about your relationship with Jesus?

Do you openly tell it?

Do you have a koinonia fellowship with God and Jesus that causes a koinonia fellowship with and for other Christians?

 

Even to his old age in exile, John’s koinonia with Jesus led him to koinonia (fellowship) with other believers by testifying and teaching through something as simple as a letter. Do you have a heart like John, who had a heart for and like Jesus? That’s koinonia.

God of My Proclamation

“Jesus said, ‘Did I not say that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?’” (John 11:40 [NASB])

We say we believe in Jesus and have faith that God will take care of us. We spend times in quiet on the mountain communing with and listening to God. Then, the day arrives when we must go back down to the valley, the world in which we live, and do just that, live our earthly life. Oh, it would be phenomenal to live on the mountain with God all our earthly days, but what good would that do? What glory would that bring to God? Our praise of God would be the only voice heard by Him if we did not leave the mountain.

When we return to the valley and proclaim the Lord, Jesus Christ, the Savior who died to save us from sin, then others can hear and will come to know Him as their own Savior. More voices will be raise praise to God and glorify Him. Our mountaintop experiences are wonderful and sought. We should spend time with God there to rejuvenate our spirits and body and reconnect on a deeper level with the Lord. That doesn’t mean we can only spend time with God on the mountain.

Still, while in the valley proclaiming the Lord, answering people’s questions about Him and His salvation, we will also experience difficulties-trials, persecutions, and hatred. Will our time on the mountain sustain us through these difficulties? Will the growth we had while on the mountain keep us trusting God? Or, will the faith we proclaim not remain strong and our testimony of His faithfulness, love, and mercy falter as we wade and gasp in the raging waters of the storm?

What we learn with God on the mountain will be made stronger through the fires of trials. Or it could if we maintain our trust in Him.

Our situations are not beyond God’s ability to handle. God’s abilities are beyond our understanding.

Situations do not define God. God defines situations. 

He is all-powerful.

Don’t let your limited perspective keep you from trusting in the limitless strength and power of faithful God.

Had it not been the LORD who was on our side, let Israel now say,

‘Had it not been the LORD who was on our side when men rose up against us,

then they would have swallowed us alive, when their anger was kindled against us;

then the waters would have engulfed us, the stream would have swept over our soul;

then the raging waters would have swept over our soul.’

Blessed be the LORD, Who has not given us to be torn by their teeth.

Our soul has escaped as a bird out of the snare of the trapper;

the snare is broken, and we have escaped.

Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. (Psalm 124 [NASB])

Lord, I love spending time with You. I don’t want to leave, but eventually You push me like a chick from a nest to return to the world and work. Fires and storms arise while I am in the valley and at times seem to overwhelm me. I feel like I am barely standing against the onslaught. Lord, help me remember You are my refuge and strength. Just because I am not on the mountaintop with You does not mean You aren’t in the valley with me. Help me seek You. Use me to proclaim Your greatness and fame so others will come to know You. Keep me strong for Your glory so others can see You and will seek to follow You, too. Keep my mind from small things and instead stay focused on You, great God of unfathomable power, love, and grace. You will never let me fall. I can rest in You. I love You, Lord. Amen.

Would You?

“But about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s chains were unfastened.” Acts 16:25-26 [NASB]

Would you be arrested because you tell people about Jesus the Messiah? Would you suffer beatings because you refuse to stop telling people about Him? Would you sing praises to God while bleeding, sore, and shackled at the ankles after people beat you because you are His child?

This happens today. It happened to Paul and Silas, too. After Paul commanded a spirit of divination to leave the body of a girl, her masters grabbed them. They took them to the magistrates proclaiming they were throwing their city into confusion and teaching customs unlawful for them to accept or observe since they were Romans. Understand, these “masters” made money from their servant foretelling people’s future. They did not want what Paul preached to turn their world upside down or cause them to lose money. The magistrates ordered the guards to whip Paul and Silas then chain them in the prison. After the jailor chained Paul and Silas, they sang praises to God, and the doors of the prison opened and the chains on all the prisoners unlocked.

People are beaten, tortured, imprisoned, and killed for proclaiming their faith in Christ today. With the world becoming smaller because of faster transportation and international media, we have heard of or seen these things happen for ourselves. Some of us have experienced these things. Others of us have faced less harsh persecution and trouble, but still it affected us. We stopped and thought about being silent,  and of not standing for our belief in God and His Word. We considered the world is a different place now and so we need to be different, too. Possibly you have even considered and wondered, because you hear it so often, if God is irrelevant. Deep within yourself, you know He is relevant. You realize He is Almighty God. You know Jesus is the Savior and Your Savior. Still, wouldn’t it be easier not to speak about it so people would not ostracize you, call you names, persecute you, or kill you?

Paul and Silas, being human just like us, possibly thought this, too. Yet, consider what happened in Acts 17:16-34 after their beating and imprisonment in Acts 16. Paul walked through Athens. He realized Athenians’ desire to make sure they worshipped every god. They feared they wouldn’t worship all the gods that existed and erected a statue to “The Unknown God.”. Paul’s heart, being like Christ’s, ached with love for these people. He cared for them and wanted to help meet their need. With his heart beating in time with Christ’s, Paul talked with Jews, God-fearing Gentiles, Epicureans, and Stoic philosophers. People took Paul to the Areopagus where philosophers and teachers spoke, argued, and dissected ideas determining if they would incorporate them into their lives. These leading thinkers of Athens asked Paul to explain what he meant in his teachings and reasonings.

When Paul spoke with the Athenian leaders, he did several things. He met them at their acknowledged need. He spoke eloquently and respectfully to them. Paul recognized their need. Jesus Christ meets people at their need. Paul brought his speech to a moment of decision. He told them he recognized they are a people who realize their own human finiteness. Paul saw they were religious. (Acts 17:16) He humbly showed them respect and acknowledged the Athenians understanding of their own limitations and the obvious existence of a power greater than humanity. (Acts 17:22) Paul did not teach them by ostracizing their gods. He approached them wanting to give them more information because he respected them. (Acts 17:23). In this verse, Paul met the people at their spoken need – to recognize all gods. He then explained about their “Unknown God” being God Almighty and His Son, Jesus Christ. He spoke to them in a way in which they would realize their needs are met in Christ. Paul explained this God is the Creator of all things and means to righteousness. (Acts 17:24-29) Finally, Paul spoke not only his mind and explained about God Almighty and Jesus Christ, he brought the Athenian leaders to a point of decision. Would these Athenians believe in this God forsaking their handmade gods? Would they believe in and accept the gift of God’s righteousness through His Son, Jesus Christ, the One He raised from the dead? (Acts 17:30)

Paul didn’t back down from speaking because of his earlier arrest, beating, and imprisonment. He, having a heart like Jesus Christ’s, cared for the Athenians. Paul respected them and their desire for knowledge. He saw their need as they recognized it. Paul boldly stepped forward and spoke respectfully with authority and conviction about Jesus. He brought his hearers to a point of decision. Paul didn’t back down from fear of arrest, imprisonment, and beating. He didn’t think himself a coward and so unable to do what Jesus calls all his disciples to do. People continued taking Paul before the authorities. He often experienced persecution and torture. Yes, Paul kept telling people about Jesus Christ, the righteousness of God made available to humanity.

Yesterday we each felt ostracism by someone because of our belief in Jesus. Today and tomorrow you might experience it, as well as persecution and torture because of your faith. Each believer in Jesus throughout time since His life, death, and resurrection will have faced it at least once. Is that supposed to stop us proclaiming God’s love and the salvation He offers to all people? Does that mean we should lambast people as being “stupid” in their beliefs? Does that mean we should grudgingly tell people about Jesus, but disrespect them or not lead them to a point of decision? NO to all these.

We are to be like Christ, whom Paul emulated well. Though faced with imminent death, Jesus continued to proclaim God’s salvation had come. He continued on the path set before Him to His purpose, to be the sacrifice for the sins of every person. Jesus said He suffered at the hands of man and His followers would suffer the same and more. BUT, Jesus never stopped loving the people for whom He came to give up His life. He never belittled them. Jesus kept telling the people the day of their salvation had come. He met them at their need – illness, poverty, imprisonment, and status in life – and made them whole because of His power and their belief in Him.

We each will face troubles, persecution, maybe torture, and possibly death because of our faith. These will come at the hands of other people. We must decide in advance we will love the people no matter what they may do to us. We must resolve to stand strong in our faith in Jesus Christ as our Savior. We must determine to treat the people with respect and tell them about Christ leading them to His throne. Above all, each of us must decide for ourselves to follow Jesus no matter what the cost. Jesus told His followers, when they asked Him what they must do to have eternal life, “Come follow Me.” (Matthew 19:21)

Will you love, proclaim, teach, and lead like Jesus?

Will you be willing to suffer the darts and arrows of Satan because you follow Jesus?

Lord, so often I stop obeying You because I am tired or scared. Please forgive me. Make me bold and courageous willing to follow You no matter what may happen. Give me a love for people who don’t know You so I will tell them about You no matter the consequences. Lord, You are Creator, Provider, and Redeemer. You hold time and our lives in Your hands. You could kill us without a thought, but Your love for us is so great You do not want us to die without knowing You and being made righteous. Lord, I am not good enough, nor can I ever make myself good enough to be in Your presence, but You have provided the way for me to be with You. Thank you, God, for loving me even though I am sinful. Thank you for providing a way for me to be with You forever. Thank you for calling me to tell others about You and making me brave enough to do it. Help me tell others with Your love in my heart. Make me whom You need me to be. Amen.

God-focused: Beginning with Thanks

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken throughout the whole world.” Romans 1:8

Paul told the Roman Christians he was thankful for them. He spoke about a people he had never met. Paul expressed thanks for the future-theirs, and his with them.

Paul was thankful the world knew of the Romans’ faith. People heard Roman emperors expelled the Jews from Rome. Since the Roman Christians worshiped in Jewish temples at first, they experienced similar persecution without expulsion.

Paul desired to be with the Roman believers. He was thankful in advance he could enjoy their companionship. Paul anticipated giving them further knowledge of the gospel. He wanted western believers to be able to stand firm in their faith.

Still, Paul didn’t expect only they would benefit from his visit. He wanted to be encouraged by/with them. Surely Paul’s faith was greater than that of the Roman Christians. Yet, Paul said together they would be encouraged mutually. For this, Paul was thankful.

Paul’s travels created home bases for him in the east. He’d never been to the west. Paul needed a home base in Rome. Often growth in faith comes from standing with other believers supporting each other. Christianity is a faith in community. We meet to pray, study the Bible, worship, encourage, and grow stronger in knowledge and faith to proclaim the Gospel. Paul understood he needed a home base for encouragement and growth in faith.

Paul began his letter to the Romans with thanks for them-past, present, and future. We must begin our day thanking God for who will enter our lives-Christians for growth and encouragement or unbelievers to hear the Gospel.

Lord, help us recognize the importance of being in a community of believers and seeking unbelievers with whom to share Your Gospel

The Hope of Glory

Want a better year than last?

Follow Jesus,

Give thanks to Him, &  

No matter what comes, hold on to the hope you have because of Him.

Maybe the last year was hard. - many times you struggled to keep pushing on, friends and family left you or died, or God seemed nowhere near you.

Remember, if you are a child of God, God promises He will never leave you or forsake you.

Remember, as James said, God allows trials to come into each of His children's lives to make them stronger and to help them to grow in Christlikeness. 

v  Celebrate that you are a child of God and He loves you so much He wants you to grow to be more like Him.

v  Celebrate you are a child of God and He has prepared a place for you.

v  Celebrate you are a child of God and you have an eternal hope that this world is not all there is. There is more! This world cannot keep you nor can it take away your promised place in God's kingdom.

v  Celebrate in the end, God wins and you are His child!

This year take a stand for God. 

      Stand firm in the hope Jesus lived, died, and rose from the grace to give you. 

      Proclaim God and His glory for His is the glory and He gives the hope of glory.

      Remember the saints who went before us.

      Become a servant of God and His body.

"I (Paul) have become its (the body of Christ, the followers') servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness-- the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." (Colossians 1:25-27 [NIV])