2002-01-01
Good Morning Dear Ones,
The Lord is being so generous with me right now in giving me ideas to share with you about the Son. Yesterday’s message was about the places in the OT where a believer could find Him. Today’s is about His presence in the NT. As each Scripture is viewed, God reveals His immanent personality to us, both in the Son’s humanity and in His divinity. By the time one studying the Scriptures gets to Hebrews, the reasons why it is necessary for God to have sent Christ to become incarnate are made so clear. It was so that the Son could relate to the pain, temptation, and trials we have on earth and could be readied to be an Intercessor for us in heaven (HE 4: 14-16). The whole process of sending His Son to earth, allowing His Son to be crucified as a sin offering-a propitiation for the sins of the world, and then to be resurrected as the “first among many brothers” is the most compassionate and loving decision a Parent could possibly make for His children. We should never miss the fact that as believers in Christ, we are so hugely blessed!
The genealogical lists of GN 5; GN 10, NU, MT 1, and LK 3: 23-38 puzzled me when I first saw them. I had to ask why such seemingly boring material was included. At the time, my faith wasn’t sophisticated enough to accept that every single word in the Bible is there for God’s important reasons. It wasn’t until I spent a number of years studying the Scriptures that I began to see that God has always wanted us to know Him and to accept that Jesus Christ is indeed His Son and the Messiah that traditional Jews await. When studying those lists, Christ’s lineage can’t be denied-particularly when His part in the prophecy line of the Bible is studied. The statistical chances of one person fulfilling all the prophecies about Him and the record of his lineage together with it make denying his deity impossible. So, what prevents traditional Jews from accepting Him has to be God’s decision that the time is not right for the veil to be lifted from their eyes. A compassionate Lord Who knows that Jewish believers like me feel frustrated about that gives us RO 11: 25 to remind us that He hasn’t given up on our traditionally Jewish brothers and sisters. The same could be said for all the Gentiles who will come to faith at some time in the future. This is the power of the Holy Spirit guided by the Father’s perfect timing and not something an ordinary person can bring about.
God directs me to take the time to read and reread each citation in this message, so that I can enjoy the full impact of it. I know you will be blessed by doing the same. MT 1: 21-22 tells us of the birth of Jesus Christ to Mary and Joseph, a virgin birth. Names in the Jewish culture are important descriptions of either the person’s personality or his God-given commission. The name, Jesus, means “He will save His people from their sins,” i.e. Savior. I was interested to learn that it is a form of the name, Joshua, which comes from the Hebrew word, “Yeshua.” Christ is also given the name “Immanuel” which means “God is with us.” Understanding that can have an awesome impact on our lives. Christ’s Trinitarian nature is revealed in JN 14: 9 & 11 as well as in AC 1: 5 & 8. The fact that our faithful study reveals that Christ never did anything without input from the Father and that He correctly foretold the coming of the Holy Spirit which happened on the day of Pentecost ought to be proof enough that He is indeed the second person of the Trinity.
There are so many descriptions of Christ in the Scriptures that time wouldn’t permit me to mention them all. Just meditate over these citations that so clearly reveal His nature and His God-given power to transform our lives by the renewal of our minds (see RO 12: 2).
- Lamb of God: JN 1 :29-30; REV 5:6- takes away the sins of the world and is the only one who can open the seven seals of the scroll, thus wresting dominion over the earth from Satan and return it the Father.Source of the Sacraments: LK 22: 19-20; 1 COR 11: 23-26- engages us in an intimate reminder of God’s awesome sacrifice for our salvation.
- Bread of Life: JN 6: 33 -comes down from heaven to gives life to the world.
- Light of the World: JN 8: 12-gives believers the light of life so as to never walk in darkness.
- Good Shepherd: JN 10: 14-15-connects us to the Father and will die for us.
- Way, Truth, and Life: JN 14: 6-gives us the only way to the Father.
- Propitiation: RO 3: 24-25-provides a sufficient sin sacrifice that satisfies God’s thirst for righteousness.
- Fulfillment of the Law: RO 10: 4-provides us with a grace economy far superior to a law economy under which to live.
- Source of God’s Power & Wisdom: 1 COR 1: 24-gives us access to God’s wisdom and power.
- Judge: 1 COR 5: 12; 1 COR 3: 10-14- alone has authority to judge and will judge righteously.
- Alpha and Omega: REV 1: 18-was dead and now is alive forever.
- Lion of Judah: REV 5: 5-descended from the tribe of Judah, the lineage of David, only one Who can bring victory over second death for all believers.
PRAYER: O Lord, we approach You in humility aware through what You have revealed to us of the enormity of the sacrifice you made for us. From JN 3: 16, You taught us that You so loved the world that You gave us Your only begotten Son, so that we might not perish but have everlasting life. You deserve nothing less than our obedience, reverence, adoration, worship, and love in return. We dedicate ourselves and our lives to Your glory, praise, and honor. In Christ’s name, amen.
Tomorrow, we will look at the third person of the Holy Trinity, the Holy Spirit. I hope you feel the same way that I do about being enormously blessed by the revelations of God’s love through the Scriptures. This grace, unmerited favor, granted to those who believe is a privilege no one should miss. That is why I hope you feel edified in sharing this faith in Christ and desirous of sharing it with anyone who is willing to listen. Knowing that all of you are out there reading these daily messages reminds me of how blessed we all are when we share our faith not only with those who are unchurched or who haven’t yet come to faith, but with each other as well. Peter and I send you our love and our faith that God loves you too.
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn