Beloved brethren of the South Central Classis, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. As I write this report, the world around seems to be in a state of turmoil. Major earthquakes, wars, unrest across the Arab world and economic difficulties are all around us. But it is in times such as these that we can gain great comfort from the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and assurance in God's providence.

In last year's President's Report, we went on somewhat of a tour of the congregations, starting out west. This year, we'll do the same thing, only we'll start in the east. At Trinity Reformed Church in Sioux Falls, SD, I can report that things are going well. We have visitors on a regular basis and our auditorium is usually pretty full. We built on to our building and added classrooms, offices, and a library which is being used by Heidelberg Theological Seminary (HTS). HTS began having classes at our facility last fall and that seems to have been a good move for the seminary. Rev. Maynard Koerner has accepted a position as associate pastor at Trinity and in addition to teaching classes at the seminary, also teaches a section for our catechism class. Although I regularly see Rev. Koerner during the week in the office, I rarely see him on Sundays. This is because he keeps busy filling pulpits in the area. The same goes for Rev. Herman Van Stedum who has retired and lives in nearby Harrisburg.

Heading south, we come to Menno, SD. Rev. Scott Henry has now been at Menno for seven years. He has received a call to Lancaster, CA, and he has accepted that call. His last Sunday in Menno will be the last Sunday in May. Let us keep both Rev. Henry and the congregation in Menno in our prayers as they go through this time of transition.

In Vermillion, SD, Rev. Robert Grossmann continues his ministry there. Vermillion has been a mission work for a number of years but they have become self-supporting and are no longer in need of mission funds. Rev. Grossmann does a weekly radio program that covers a five state area. We are thankful that the gospel can be preached by one of our men to such a wide area.

In Mitchell, SD, the congregation is doing well. Rev. George Syms had some health concerns last year and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. He is recovering and has taken some steps to improve his health. While Rev. Syms was recuperating, Rev. Howard Hart picked up the slack. It can be a tremendous blessing to have a reliable, retired minister in the congregation, as Mitchell has in Howard Hart. Rev. Hart was diagnosed with prostate cancer last year and is starting to slow down a bit, but we pray for many more fruitful years.

Going down to Sutton, NE, Rev. Darrell Kingswood continues his ministry at Hope Reformed Church. In addition to the regular work of the ministry, Rev. Kingswood has served on some special committees. He was on the committee to work with Rev. Dan Rogers, and he also is on the synodical committee on "Biblical Sexual Morality."

Also in Sutton, Emmanuel Reformed Church has undergone a real trial. Their pastor, Rev. Dan Rogers, resigned and was suspended by Classis because of a heavy drinking problem. That issue will be further dealt with at this Classis meeting. Emmanuel has called a new man, Rev. Joe Vusich, who is a very capable man. May the Lord grant a time of peace and healing to all involved in this situation.

In Lincoln, NE, Rev. Lee Johnson and his wife are contributing to the growth of the church by bringing into this world their fifth child. Statistically, it looks like the numbers are down at the Lincoln congregation, but this is because they have been purging their rolls and have erased a number of members who have either moved or are not attending for some reason.

In Rapid City, Rev. David Fagrey is now in his thirteenth year serving that congregation. They continue to show signs of growth and have become debt free. Their very nice facility and parsonage have been paid off. Rev. Fagrey also does a weekly radio program.

Going west to Colorado Springs, CO, Rev. C. W. Powell continues to pastor the flock there as well as teaching at New Geneva Theological Seminary (NGTS). The congregation at Colorado Springs is using technology to spread the Word. The hits on the church web site remained steady through the first seven months of the year with more than 90,000 hits and more than 30,000 downloads of material. Unfortunately the web site was "hijacked" and hits fell off to practically nothing for a while but they have begun to recover.

In Limon, CO, Rev. Matt Powell reports signs of growth in that congregation. They did receive some building damage as the result of a storm, but that has been remedied. In addition to the regular work of the ministry, Rev. Powell is also working on his Th.M. and plans to work towards a Ph.D. He is currently teaching one class at New Geneva.

In Greeley, CO, Rev. Jon Blair reports good things and growth in that congregation. Like Rapid City, the congregation in Greeley has also paid off their building debt. They are also now self supporting so they have requested to come off missions assistance.

Last, but not least, we end up in Rock Springs, WY. Rev. George Horner will soon be celebrating his one year anniversary as the pastor of that congregation. Rev. Horner and his wife Mary Jo did have a health scare with Mary Jo being diagnosed with a brain tumor. But he reports that the brain tumor has been eradicated and she appears to be in excellent health. We praise the Lord for that.

Another area I would like to report on is the area of missions. As previously noted, both Greeley and Vermillion are now self-supporting and no longer receiving mission support. Limon is receiving mission funding from Classis, but has already requested a reduction in support.

Last October, the missions committee flew to Sherman, TX, where Rev. Neal Riffert has been working with a group of believers. That work seems to be going well and the missions committee has requested mission support of $1500 per month for that work. We should continue to support this work with our money, time, and prayers.

Rapid City has indicated a desire to start a work in Scotts Bluff, NE. There is a Bible study going on there and the congregation in Rapid City is seeking to discern the Lord's will about what to do next. Let us keep the situation in Scotts Bluff in our prayers. In the past, our Classis has had a Regional Home Missionary who could oversee some mission works. It worked well in the past and perhaps it is time to reconsider that program.

All in all, it was a relatively quiet year in the South Central Classis. We are seeing signs of growth in many congregations. Let us pray that the Lord would continue to help us grow and to give us wisdom that we might bring the gospel and plant churches in our Classis.

Respectfully Submitted,
Ron Morris

AFor we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."-Hebrews 4:15-16 NKJV

"Been there, done that." This popular maxim has been used to convey the idea that the speaker of this adage has experienced something to its fullest. When two people are talking and one quotes this expression, he is conveying to the other that he is fully aware of all that the other one is saying. There is nothing more that can be related that is not already known.

Often in the course of human interaction we find that there are certain events that only others who have experienced the same thing can truly understand. Because of this we see all sorts of "support groups." There are support groups for those with diabetes or weight problems, support groups for those who have battled cancer or lost a loved one. Because of the common experience, all those in the group have a certain sympathy toward the others in the group. A person in one of these support groups believes that the others in the group really understand the situation because they have also experienced the same thing. The reason these support groups are helpful is because they provide a certain level of encouragement and comfort which comes from a genuine sympathy to those who are weary or are struggling with a shared experience.

This is one facet of the incarnation that I believe is somewhat overlooked. We shall soon be celebrating Christmas, the time when we stop and give thanks for Christ's birth. There are many different and important aspects that could be brought out about Christ's incarnation. For example, as the Heidelberg Catechism teaches us in questions 14 through 17, if we are going to be saved from our sins, we must have a substitute who will take the punishment for our sins who is both God and Man. The incarnation provides for that. The Son of God, the second person of the Holy Trinity, by the operation of the Holy Spirit, was conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary. Because Jesus has taken on a human nature he can be a legitimate substitute for human beings. It would not be possible for an angel or a sheep to adequately take on the sins of a human because that would not be just or fair. A man must pay for the sins of a man. At the same time, no mere creature could fully bear the brunt of God's holy wrath against sin. So any substitute that would come in our stead must be both God and man.

But let us focus on another aspect of the incarnation: that facet is sympathy. As the writer of Hebrews tells us, Christ our High Priest can truly sympathize with us because he has "been there and done that." Since Christ Jesus took upon himself a human nature and human flesh, he has experienced life in this fallen world. What sorts of things did he experience?

Well, for one thing, we know that the Lord Jesus was tempted, yet without sin. The story of the temptation of the Lord, as recorded for us in Matthew 4, tells us that after his baptism, the Lord Jesus was led by the Spirit out into the wilderness where he fasted for forty days and was subsequently tempted by Satan. It is common to point out that the three temptations leveled against the Lord are parallel to the temptations that Adam and Eve experienced in the Garden of Eden. The Apostle John summarized these temptations in 1 John 2:16 as "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life." But, possibly, there was another temptation underlying each of the three that the Lord Jesus experienced. At the Lord's baptism a voice from heaven sounded and proclaimed, "This is my beloved Son." Then the Lord was driven into the wilderness to be tempted. The first two temptations Satan hurls at the Lord begin with the question, "If you are the Son of God." The third temptation has Satan quoting Psalm 91 and tempting Jesus to put the promises contained in that passage to the test. In other words, in each of the temptations, Satan is tempting Jesus to doubt the Word of God. In the first two, he tempts Jesus to question what he had heard from heaven: that he was the Son of God. The third temptation was to get Jesus to prove the written word with a foolish test of jumping off the pinnacle of the temple. In each of the temptations Satan tempted Jesus to question or to doubt the Word of God. Here's where an application comes in. Satan wants to tempt us in the same way. A main battle plan of the Devil is to get people to deny the Word of God. Is Jesus really the Son of God? Was he really born of a virgin? Was he really raised from the dead? These are the doubts Satan would tempt us with. But as our great Mentor has shown us, we combat the Devil with the Word. In each of the temptations the Lord Jesus retorted, "It is written." When Satan casts doubt upon the Word we realize that the Word has power and can defend itself. How else does one explain the intricate details of the messianic prophecies which paint a vivid picture of the birth, life, ministry, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus (Luke 24:25-27)? How else does one explain the whole system of theology laid out in the various covenants, one building upon another in perfect harmony (The Book of Galatians)? The Word of God is called a "sharp, two-edged sword." A sword is an amazing weapon when you think about it. It is both defensive and offensive. With a sword you can block an oncoming blow from an enemy or you can plunge it through your opponent's chest. Don't be afraid to rely on the Word in times of testing or to use it in combat in times of spiritual struggle. The Lord Jesus did and he was victorious over the Devil.

There are other ways the Lord Jesus experienced life as we do, that helps us to know that He can sympathize with us, and that we can learn from Him. The Bible tells us that He got hungry (Matthew 4:2). He knows what its like to feel weak from a lack of nutrition. Being the father of six children I know from first hand that when people get hungry, they can get grumpy. (My children may testify to the same fact about their father!) It is helpful to know that the Lord Jesus experienced this most basic of human needs. The Bible tells us that He got thirsty (John 19:28). There were times when his mouth was so dry that his tongue clung to the roof of his mouth (Psalm 22:15). It can be an agonizing experience to have a mouth so dry that your tongue sticks to the roof of your mouth, but according to the Bible, the Lord Jesus can testify to that experience. There were times when He was tired and sleepy during long trips (Matthew 8:24). I serve a congregation in South Dakota. My family is in Oklahoma and my wife's family is in Colorado. At Christmas time we make "The Big Triangle" to see both sets of grandparents. 700 miles from Mitchell, SD to Tulsa, OK then 650 miles from Tulsa to Flagler, CO then 600 miles from Flagler back to Mitchell. That's a lot of miles on the road. That makes for a long trip. There is almost nothing worse than driving across Kansas with very heavy eyelids. If you don't know about it, I know that the Lord Jesus does because He has been sleepy and tired on long trips, too. There were times He was angry (John 2:14-16). When the Lord turned the tables of the money changers over in the temple, the Bible tells us that He chased them out with a whip. (I would say that's being on the wrong side of the Lord!) It is important to point out that this was a righteous, sinless anger. He was angry because people weren't doing right. Ever been that way? There were times when He was moved with compassion (Matthew 9:36) and He wept at the tomb of a close friend (John 11:35). Jesus got emotional when He saw people suffering and He cried at funerals.

There are other experiences that are not recorded for us in the Bible but might be legitimately assumed. For example, we know that He was a carpenter (Mark 6:3). Could we imagine that in His carpentry shop He might have picked up a splinter, or gotten saw dust in His eye? (Matthew 7:3-5?) Possibly He got blisters on His hands from working with tools on rough wood.

What about family relationships? We don't know what happened to Mary's husband, Joseph. Tradition has it that he died. If so, Jesus would have mourned the death of a man who was a father to Him. Have you ever lost a parent? Contrary to Roman Catholic tradition, the Bible teaches that Mary had at least six other children (Matthew 13:55-56). In that culture, the responsibility for tending to the needs of a family would have fallen on the eldest son after the death of the father. Could we imagine that Jesus experienced having the responsibility of being the head of a household? Ever felt that, husbands and fathers? Again, a lot of this is mere speculation and should only be regarded as such. But at the same time, it should give us something to ponder anew when we consider that we have a High Priest who can "sympathize with our weaknesses" and "was in all points tempted as we are" (Hebrews 4:15). Think of the practical implications of the incarnation: God Almighty knows what it is like to be human!

This Christmas as we read the birth narrative in Luke's gospel, take some time to ponder phrases such as, "And she brought forth her firstborn Son." They "wrapped Him in swaddling clothes." They "laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." Let each of those phrases sink in- really sink in- one by one. Then, consider who this was! God Almighty in human flesh. Understand that the Lord Jesus understands. God understands! He is aware of all of your trials and temptations. He knows what it's like to walk the earth's dusty streets in a fallen world. He knows what it's like to be misunderstood, mistreated and the victim of a miscarriage of justice. And when you understand that, know for certain that the awesome God who did all of this is deserving of your unending praise. But also know that such a one knows what you are going through. So go to Him. As the writer of the book of Hebrews so eloquently says, "For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need."

I believe that the question of origins is an important question. For example, from where did the world come? Did it just happen? Most rational people believe that the world had to have had a beginning, but how did that come about? Was there nothing and then there was something?

The Creative Power of God

The Bible says that God created the world. It says that he spoke the world into existence by His Word. He spoke the sky and the seas, the land and the trees, the birds and the bees into existence by his mighty word. Now, for you or me, this would be an impossibility. No man can simply speak a fish into existence, for example. (Although I know of some fishermen that sure wish they could!). But God can because God is not subject to natural laws like we are. God is All-Powerful. Therefore, God can speak the entire cosmos into existence.

I believe this is an important thing to remember when it comes to the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus. How did the Lord Jesus come into this world? It was a miracle, just like the creation of the world was a miracle.

The Bible says that Jesus was born to a virgin named Mary. In Luke's account we read of an encounter between Mary and the angel Gabriel:

"Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:30-35).

A Miracle of God

This passage clearly states that the birth of Jesus would not be of the conventional type. When the angel tells Mary that she is going to have a baby, Mary asks how this can be since she was a virgin. Some liberal critics at this point say that the term "virgin" simply means "young woman." And it does mean that. But it also implies a young woman who has not had marital relations. This is clearly the way Mary is using this term. She knows who she is and what she's been doing. And because she knows what she's been doing, she knows that she should not be included in the category of expectant mothers. This is why the angel's words were so shocking to her and why she asked for an explanation. The angel answers that it will be a work of the Holy Spirit. In other words, a miracle! Before Mary and Joseph would consummate their marriage, Mary would have a baby growing in her belly. And not just any child, but the very Son of God.

The conception of the Lord Jesus in the womb of the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit is not a bit of Bible trivia. It is of vital importance to who Jesus is and what Jesus did. This is why the Apostle's Creed has this critical theological concept in its reading.

One of the finest expositions of the Apostle's Creed ever written is contained in the Heidelberg Catechism. What does the Catechism say in regard to this article of the Apostle's Creed? Questions 35 and 36 address this important concept.

Question 35 of the Catechism asks, "What is the meaning of ‘conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary?'" The answer is, "That the eternal Son of God, who is and continues true and eternal God, took upon Himself the very nature of man, of the flesh and blood of the virgin Mary, by the operation of the Holy Ghost; so that He might also be the true seed of David, like unto His brethren in all things, except sin." Let's look at the answer to question 35.

First of all, note that it is the eternal (emphasis mine) Son of God who is conceived in the virgin's womb. This means that the Son of God did not come into existence at this time. He already existed. In fact, he has always existed, co-eternally, with the Father and the Spirit. The Bible teaches that God is one in his essence but three in person. The three persons of the Holy Trinity are known as Father, Son and Holy Ghost. God has always been Father, Son and Holy Ghost and always will be Father, Son and Holy Ghost. The three members of the Godhead exist eternally in perfect union and communion. So when the Holy Ghost caused Mary to conceive, the Spirit was not creating the Son of God.

The Significance of the Virgin Birth

But why did Jesus come into the world in this fashion? If he already existed as the Son of God from all eternity, why not just appear? God has been known to show up on the earth from time to time and manifest himself in physical form. Recall the story of Jacob wrestling with God in Genesis 32. In that passage, Jacob is on his way to meet his brother Esau. But before their meeting, Jacob was accosted by a "Man" who wrestled with him until daybreak. The "Man" touched Jacob's hip, putting it out of joint. Without going into the details of this story, we see at it's conclusion that Jacob deduced, "I have seen God face to face" (v. 30). So if God can be manifested in such a way that he could actually wrestle with a man for several hours, why not come that way instead of through the virgin's womb?

The issue here is not of Christ's deity. Rather, it is an issue of humanity. The reason Jesus came was to "save his people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21). God did not sin. Neither did the animals. It was humanity that sinned. And for humanity to be redeemed, humanity needed a human redeemer. This is why the Catechism says that he "took upon himself the very nature of man."

When God created the world, he created a man in his very own image and after his own likeness. This man was called Adam. Adam was a literal, historical figure. He was as real and as historical as Moses, David, Paul, Peter, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, John Kennedy or George W. Bush. As the first man created, Adam was the federal head of the human race. As such, the actions of Adam would affect all of humanity. According to the Bible, God placed a forbidden tree in the Garden in which Adam lived. He also gave the law which was that Adam was not to eat of the forbidden tree. It's not as though there was anything physically or chemically wrong with the fruit of the forbidden tree; it wasn't poisonous. Rather, the law was a test of fidelity to God and to God's Word. By refraining from eating of the forbidden tree, Adam would be demonstrating belief in and subjection to God's Word. By eating, he would be rebelling against God, becoming a law unto himself.

As the story goes, Adam disobeyed God and ate. This evil act plunged not only himself but all of humanity into a sinful rebellion against God. God had warned Adam that if he sinned, death would be the penalty. Adam sinned, and humanity died that day. This death is both physical and spiritual. Because of this death we see all around us manifestations of this death. We see war, disease, suffering, pain, even natural disasters and, yes, physical death. Death, hell, and the grave gained power over humanity on that dreadful day.

We have no one to blame for all of this sin and misery but ourselves. We, as a race of people, rebelled against God and have been reaping the consequences of that rebellion. God is innocent in all of this. He is only being just by allowing the product of our rebellion to bear fruit. And if we left it at that, we would have a just and holy God.

But God is not only just. He is not only holy. God is also abounding in grace and mercy. And because he is so full of love, he has acted in history to bring about so great a redemption that not only will he save and deliver a people in such a way as to bring joy and happiness to them, but he would also do it in a way that brings glory and honor to his name. This great redemption all began in the womb of a virgin named Mary.

The Second Adam

Just as Adam went to a tree and rebelled against God, a Second Adam, Jesus, would go to a tree (the cross) and redeem a people for God. But there are certain requirements for this Second Adam. He must be true God so that he can contain the full wrath of God against sin. But he must also be a true and righteous man so that he can be a true substitute for man. A sheep can't be a right substitute for a man. We need a man to be a substitute for a man. This is why Jesus came through the virgin's womb; to take upon himself a human nature, "like unto his brethren in all things, except sin." Jesus, the sinless Son of God, free from any taint of human sin, came into the world with a human nature to save us from our sin.

Question 36 of the Catechism asks, "What benefit do you receive from the holy conception and birth of Christ?" The answer is, "That He is our Mediator, and with His innocence and perfect holiness covers, in the sight of God, my sin, wherein I was conceived." That's a classic gospel statement in a nutshell.

The Father so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. And this Son was given, conceived by the Holy Ghost, to take on a human nature in the womb of the virgin Mary. In so doing, the God-Man redeemed a people for the glory of God. And for this, all of God's people should rejoice!

I believe that the question of origins is an important question. For example, from where did the world come? Did it just happen? Most rational people believe that the world had to have had a beginning, but how did that come about? Was there nothing and then there was something?

The Creative Power of God

The Bible says that God created the world. It says that he spoke the world into existence by His Word. He spoke the sky and the seas, the land and the trees, the birds and the bees into existence by his mighty word. Now, for you or me, this would be an impossibility. No man can simply speak a fish into existence, for example. (Although I know of some fishermen that sure wish they could!). But God can because God is not subject to natural laws like we are. God is All-Powerful. Therefore, God can speak the entire cosmos into existence.

I believe this is an important thing to remember when it comes to the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus. How did the Lord Jesus come into this world? It was a miracle, just like the creation of the world was a miracle.

The Bible says that Jesus was born to a virgin named Mary. In Luke's account we read of an encounter between Mary and the angel Gabriel:

"Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end." Then Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:30-35).

A Miracle of God

This passage clearly states that the birth of Jesus would not be of the conventional type. When the angel tells Mary that she is going to have a baby, Mary asks how this can be since she was a virgin. Some liberal critics at this point say that the term "virgin" simply means "young woman." And it does mean that. But it also implies a young woman who has not had marital relations. This is clearly the way Mary is using this term. She knows who she is and what she's been doing. And because she knows what she's been doing, she knows that she should not be included in the category of expectant mothers. This is why the angel's words were so shocking to her and why she asked for an explanation. The angel answers that it will be a work of the Holy Spirit. In other words, a miracle! Before Mary and Joseph would consummate their marriage, Mary would have a baby growing in her belly. And not just any child, but the very Son of God.

The conception of the Lord Jesus in the womb of the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit is not a bit of Bible trivia. It is of vital importance to who Jesus is and what Jesus did. This is why the Apostle's Creed has this critical theological concept in its reading.

One of the finest expositions of the Apostle's Creed ever written is contained in the Heidelberg Catechism. What does the Catechism say in regard to this article of the Apostle's Creed? Questions 35 and 36 address this important concept.

Question 35 of the Catechism asks, "What is the meaning of ‘conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary?'" The answer is, "That the eternal Son of God, who is and continues true and eternal God, took upon Himself the very nature of man, of the flesh and blood of the virgin Mary, by the operation of the Holy Spirit; so that He might also be the true seed of David, like unto His brethren in all things, except sin." Let's look at the answer to question 35.

First of all, note that it is the eternal (emphasis mine) Son of God who is conceived in the virgin's womb. This means that the Son of God did not come into existence at this time. He already existed. In fact, he has always existed, co-eternally, with the Father and the Spirit. The Bible teaches that God is one in his essence but three in person. The three persons of the Holy Trinity are known as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God has always been Father, Son and Holy Spirit and always will be Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The three members of the Godhead exist eternally in perfect union and communion. So when the Holy Spirit caused Mary to conceive, the Spirit was not creating the Son of God.

The Significance of the Virgin Birth

But why did Jesus come into the world in this fashion? If he already existed as the Son of God from all eternity, why not just appear? God has been known to show up on the earth from time to time and manifest himself in physical form. Recall the story of Jacob wrestling with God in Genesis 32. In that passage, Jacob is on his way to meet his brother Esau. But before their meeting, Jacob was accosted by a "Man" who wrestled with him until daybreak. The "Man" touched Jacob's hip, putting it out of joint. Without going into the details of this story, we see at it's conclusion that Jacob deduced, "I have seen God face to face" (v. 30). So if God can be manifested in such a way that he could actually wrestle with a man for several hours, why not come that way instead of through the virgin's womb?

The issue here is not of Christ's deity. Rather, it is an issue of humanity. The reason Jesus came was to "save his people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21). God did not sin. Neither did the animals. It was humanity that sinned. And for humanity to be redeemed, humanity needed a human redeemer. This is why the Catechism says that he "took upon himself the very nature of man."

When God created the world, he created a man in his very own image and after his own likeness. This man was called Adam. Adam was a literal, historical figure. He was as real and as historical as Moses, David, Paul, Peter, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, John Kennedy or George W. Bush. As the first man created, Adam was the federal head of the human race. As such, the actions of Adam would affect all of humanity. According to the Bible, God placed a forbidden tree in the Garden in which Adam lived. He also gave the law which was that Adam was not to eat of the forbidden tree. It's not as though there was anything physically or chemically wrong with the fruit of the forbidden tree; it wasn't poisonous. Rather, the law was a test of fidelity to God and to God's Word. By refraining from eating of the forbidden tree, Adam would be demonstrating belief in and subjection to God's Word. By eating, he would be rebelling against God, becoming a law unto himself.

As the story goes, Adam disobeyed God and ate. This evil act plunged not only himself but all of humanity into a sinful rebellion against God. God had warned Adam that if he sinned, death would be the penalty. Adam sinned, and humanity died that day. This death is both physical and spiritual. Because of this death we see all around us manifestations of this death. We see war, disease, suffering, pain, even natural disasters and, yes, physical death. Death, hell, and the grave gained power over humanity on that dreadful day.

We have no one to blame for all of this sin and misery but ourselves. We, as a race of people, rebelled against God and have been reaping the consequences of that rebellion. God is innocent in all of this. He is only being just by allowing the product of our rebellion to bear fruit. And if we left it at that, we would have a just and holy God.

But God is not only just. He is not only holy. God is also abounding in grace and mercy. And because he is so full of love, he has acted in history to bring about so great a redemption that not only will he save and deliver a people in such a way as to bring joy and happiness to them, but he would also do it in a way that brings glory and honor to his name. This great redemption all began in the womb of a virgin named Mary.

The Second Adam

Just as Adam went to a tree and rebelled against God, a Second Adam, Jesus, would go to a tree (the cross) and redeem a people for God. But there are certain requirements for this Second Adam. He must be true God so that he can contain the full wrath of God against sin. But he must also be a true and righteous man so that he can be a true substitute for man. A sheep can't be a right substitute for a man. We need a man to be a substitute for a man. This is why Jesus came through the virgin's womb; to take upon himself a human nature, "like unto his brethren in all things, except sin." Jesus, the sinless Son of God, free from any taint of human sin, came into the world with a human nature to save us from our sin.

Question 36 of the Catechism asks, "What benefit do you receive from the holy conception and birth of Christ?" The answer is, "That He is our Mediator, and with His innocence and perfect holiness covers, in the sight of God, my sin, wherein I was conceived." That's a classic gospel statement in a nutshell.

The Father so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son. And this Son was given, conceived by the Holy Spirit, to take on a human nature in the womb of the virgin Mary. In so doing, the God-Man redeemed a people for the glory of God. And for this, all of God's people should rejoice!

In the sixth petition of the Lord's Prayer, the Lord teaches us to pray, "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." What does this mean?

When discussing temptation, it is important to point out that biblically speaking, there are two kinds of temptation. There is temptation to sin and there is temptation as in a trial or test of some kind. Let's briefly examine both kinds.

First of all, there is temptation to sin. Throughout the Bible, people are known to request of God to be delivered from sin and its snare. Ps 141:4, for example, says, "Do not incline my heart to any evil thing, to practice wicked works with men who work iniquity." Or again in Ps 119:37, the psalmist writes, "Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, and revive me in Your way."

In the New Testament, James writes in 1:13ff, "Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God;' for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death."

God Does Not Tempt

This passage in James provides us with an understanding of the process of temptation to sin. We see first of all that God does not tempt a person to sin. God does not place sinful distractions in our way to see how we respond. That goes against God's very own nature. Actually, if you think about it, tempting someone else to sin is a sin itself. Trying to make someone fall into sin is the work of the devil, not of God. God is not tempted to sin, nor does He tempt someone else to sin.

Rather, if a person sins, he has no one to blame but himself. It is the individual's own sinful lusts that produce sin. According to James, a person first has an evil thought or temptation. This is placed there either by the "world," our own sinful flesh, or the devil. The person then begins to dwell on that temptation until the temptation becomes desire. The imagery given by James is that of conception. He says that after desire is conceived, it gives birth to sin. Sin then grows, just like a baby grows until it reaches maturity and death. Sin leads to death.

It should be noted that being tempted to sin is not sin itself. A man may be tempted without entering into the temptation: entering into it implies giving way and embracing the sin. The Lord Jesus was tempted, yet without sin. He was tempted three times in the wilderness. But every time He resisted that sin. It is interesting to see how Jesus defeated temptation in the wilderness. When we read that passage in the Bible, Jesus always does battle with the Word of God. He said, "It is written..." when He was tempted. If the sinless Son of God uses the Word of God to fend off sin, shouldn't we? That is why it is very important to make Bible study and even memorization a vital part of our Christian walk. When we do this, we are arming ourselves for the battle against sin.

God Does Try Us

So temptation to sin is one type of temptation. But there is also temptation in the form of trials and tests. The word used in our text is a word that can be translated either way. One Greek dictionary defines the word as "not only a solicitation to evil but a trial of any kind, without reference to its moral quality."

We see this same word from our text in James 1, used in the Greek Old Testament, called the Septuagint, in Gen 22:1-2 when is says, "Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham." This is the passage that tells how God told Abraham to take his son Isaac, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains. The passage makes it clear that this was a test of Abraham's faith and obedience. Abraham believed and trusted in God. He knew that God had promised him that Isaac would be his heir. Abraham did not know how God was going to do this, especially if Isaac were dead. He speculated that God would raise him from the dead to receive the promises (Heb. 11:19). But nonetheless, Abraham did as God said. Just as he was about to plunge the knife into his son, God called to him and told him that he passed the test. Then God provided a substitute, a ram, and that was the offering instead. Abraham passed the test.

So we are to pray that we not be led into temptation, whether that be to sin or for trials. Now someone might ask, is it right that we ask God not to lead us into temptation? We know that God won't lead us to sin, but what if God desires to test us, the way he tested Abraham? I think one of the most important things I've learned about prayer is that God always answers prayer, but the answer is not always what I want.

A perfect example of this is the Garden of Gethsemane recorded in Matt 26:36ff. In that passage, the Lord Jesus is preparing for the greatest trial in history: the crucifixion. And the Lord prays, "O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." Now, Jesus knows very well that the cup-the crucifixion-would not pass from Him. For that very reason He had come. Yet that is what He prays. He goes on and says, "O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done." I believe that God wants us to come to Him, with all our doubts and fears, and lay them at His feet. We should pray that we are not led into temptation and know that, generally speaking, God answers this prayer the way it is stated. But at the same time, we know that it is the Father's will which must be done. God is not some celestial bellhop who caters to our every desire. He is the Sovereign One, the one who calls the shots and works all things in conformity to His will. But we will never be tested beyond what we can endure (1 Cor. 10:13). And we endure by the power of the Holy Spirit. So we pray our prayers and trust in God. He will do what is right and what is best and give us the grace we need.

The Evil One

The second part of this petition in the Lord's Prayer is that we be delivered from evil. In the Greek, the definite article is present which would make it literally deliver us from "the evil" or more likely, "the evil one." This is unmistakably the devil or Satan. We see Jesus refer to Satan as the "Evil One" in Matt. 13:19.

It is interesting to me that although many adults no longer believe in the Devil, many younger people do. At least they believe in the power of the Evil One. There is a startling rise in interest in the occult or witchcraft among many young people in our society today. Many popular books, TV shows, or movies glamorize people actively involved in witchcraft as good, moral, and fun people who happen to be witches or vampires, sort of as an alternative lifestyle or religious persuasion. And it is true, that there is a power called witchcraft. But what I would like for the young people in our country to understand is that if they are fighting for witchcraft, they are fighting a losing battle. The Bible makes clear that Satan is defeated, Christ is the victor, and the Scriptures say "greater is he that is in me than he that is in the world."

So we pray that God would deliver us from the Evil One, and He can do it because He is more powerful than the Evil One. The only power Satan has is deception, and those who follow his ways are deceived indeed.

In closing, the best summary of this whole concept is stated in Q127 of the Heidelberg Catechism. It says, "What is the sixth petition? And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. That is, since we are so weak in ourselves, that we cannot stand a moment; while our deadly enemies, the devil, the world and our own flesh, assail us without ceasing; be pleased to preserve and strengthen us by the power of Thy Holy Spirit, that we may make firm stand against them, and not sink in this spiritual war, until we come off at last with complete victory." Amen.

My family and I recently went on a trip. One of the things I had to do before we left was to plot out a route. I looked at different options, checked the weather, and chose one way because, all things considered, it seemed like the best way to get to our destination. It is simply a fact that to have a successful trip you have to know where you are going. You can't just get in a car and wait to see where you end up.

The same is true for everything else in this life. To be successful, we have to know where we are going. This applies to us as individuals as well as to congregations. But the good news is that we don't have to wonder about our destination. God has already plotted the course for us. The Bible is God's map for our lives. We just need to read it and find out where it is that God wants us to go. Based upon Ephesians 2:1-10, let's see where we are going, why we are going there, and how we plan on getting there.