December 12, 2010 From Oppressor to Good News Country

From Oppressor to Good News Country

Day 27: Luke 2:1-3 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to his own town to register.

THIS SEEMS fairly simple, doesn’t it? Orders are given; it’s time to go pay the tax.
But when you read these words, do you see the bondage? It’s not simply the bondage of the tax. It is bondage over Israel by a foreign government. Caesar Augustus and Quirinius are Romans. Rome controls Israel. Rome tells Israel’s citizens what to do. Israel’s people are subject to an outside force intent on taking as much wealth out of the country as it can to build the riches of Rome.
The other aspect of this represents a point in history. Luke wants to give evidence of the timeframe, day and month (actually October) when Jesus was born. Luke gives evidence of authenticity. The more deliberate he can be of the circumstances and time, the more we can trust the reality of Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem.
The reality is, God sent his Son into the midst of oppression to focus on freedom from the bondage of sin. And amazingly, God would use Rome as a means to spread the Gospel and to begin his church. This oppressive nation would become one of the first to proclaim Christianity as a state religion. The Roman Empire would be the home of many new churches and opportunities to spread the Gospel.
It is interesting to note, the Roman government would be a refuge to the early apostles as they escaped from the hatred of the Jews—the first persecutors of Christ’s church. God works in mysterious ways to free his people. What’s he doing in your life to break your bondage from sin?


Pause and Consider: that what is happening in your life today may be the beginning of freedom for you or for someone else.

Christ Speaks to His Church
Read Revelation 2

Rev 2:18 Write this letter to the angel of the church in Thyatira. This is the message from the Son of God, whose eyes are like flames of fire, whose feet are like polished bronze.

FOUR SHORT letters to the churches in Ephesus, Sardis, Pegamum and Thyatira make up Chapter 2. Note how each one begins with the authority of Jesus. Jesus speaks to them as in Rev 2:1 “the message from the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand, the one who walks among the seven gold lampstands” In Rev 2:8 “the one who is the First and the Last, who was dead but is now alive” and In Rev 2:12 “from the one with the sharp two-edged sword”
Jesus is declaring his authority to speak. His authority comes from the holy throne of God (feet of polished bronze—an image of God from Exodus and Ezekiel). He is the one who is among all the churches (he holds and is amid the seven lampstands). Jesus is the one who is resurrected (was dead and is alive). And he holds the truth of judgment and salvation (a sharp, two-edge sword).
These 4 churches and the 3 churches in Chapter 3 had the great majority of Christians in the world in that day. Jesus is sending a loud and clear message to each church, declaring that he is their risen Lord, and all authority over them belongs to him.
He states a positive work each has done—one even to martyrdom—and he warns against evil that has infiltrated the churches.
Often we consider what a “good” place our churches are. And in many ways they are. But it is a good thing to always consider what we are doing. As you plan your church’s activities, from worship to outreach, ask the question: Are we acting in the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ?


Pause and Consider: how your church reflects Jesus’ teachings to those who enter its doors.