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Christ Steps Out into the Spotlight

We finished last time with Jesus trying to help His apostles embrace love, forgiveness, and humility – to remove any self-induced roadblocks to their ‘Great Commission’s efficacy (see Are You Putting Christ First in Your Life).

         He continues, this time addressing the importance of compassionate, non-judgmental mercy – especially for the ‘backslider’:

“If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won’t accept the church’s decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.” Mt. 18:15 – 17. NLT

            Thus, Jesus reveals the godly way of handling offenses, which all humans will commit many times in their lifetime.

         Jesus then repeats what He told Peter privately, to the rest of the apostles [see Pharisaical Falsehoods and the Truth (Mt. 16:17 – 19)]:

“Again I say to you, that if two believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting together as my followers], I am there among them.” Mt. 18 – 20. AMP

            There is a powerful synergy created in heaven in response to corporate prayer and Jesus inserts His own power into that synergism, to bring prayer requests to fruition.

         Yet Peter, (and you just have to love those apostles when they show their human side; it gives us all hope), seems to be brushing Jesus’ teachings aside, when he whines about having to put up with sinners:

“Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?”

“No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!” Mt. 18:21, 22. NLT

         The Holy Spirit gave the apostle Paul wisdom in this area as well:

Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them, pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! …Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Rm. 12:14 – 16 & 18. NLT

And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own…Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Eph. 4:30 – 32. NLT

            Going back to what Jesus said, 490 times we must forgive? Yet He wasn’t being literal but speaking a hyperbole. What He means is that we should we exercise forgiveness as many times as we can muster it, if we are dealing with a repentant person.

            Jesus put a period on this matter by relating a parable to them (Mt. 18:23 – 34). In it, He tells a story of a merciful king who forgives one of his slaves’ very large indebtedness owed to him. The same slave turns around and has another slave, who owed him a much smaller debt, thrown in jail.

When the king gets wind of this, he throws the first slave in prison as well.

Jesus then says:

“That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” Mt. 18:35 NLT

         Christ and His apostles hung out in the region of Galilee instead of journeying on to Judea, because He could foresee that the Jewish officials were waiting there to kill Him. It wasn’t fear that kept Him from going, but because Jesus had a Divine timetable that He had to adhere to.

            It is now the end of September, 29 A.D. – near the time for the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths). Jesus’ brothers (those born from Mary and Joseph after His virgin birth), did not believe that He was the Messiah at this time. They attempt to get their Brother to go to the festival and work miracles. They want Him to step out into the spotlight – perhaps (my guess) to receive glory by association).

            Again, Christ has His own predetermined schedule. He responds:

“My time has not come; but any time is right for you. The world cannot hate you [since you are a part of it], but it does hate Me because I denounce it and testify that its deeds are evil. Go up to the feast yourselves. I am not going to this feast because My time has not yet fully come.” Jn. 7:6 – 8. AMP

            So, Jesus stayed behind. He was telling His brothers that He brings the righteous light of exposure to the sins that people try to hide or legitimize. They hate Him for that, as well as anyone who represents Him.

         Not long after His brothers left for the festival however, the ripening of His mandate manifests:

As the time drew near for him to ascend to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. Lk. 9:51 AMP

            Jesus and the apostles took the direct route from Galilee to Jerusalem, which included traveling through Samaria – whereupon the Samaritans refused to grant them lodging. (Some biblical scholars believe that it was because they were going to the Temple in Jerusalem to worship, instead of the one in Samaria that the inhabitants maintained was the only legitimate place of veneration).

            This upset John and James, who asked Jesus if they could call down heavenly fire to destroy them. Christ rebukes them:

“You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” Lk. 9:55, 56. NKJV

            The Son of God is telling them that their intent was in error because the spirit of His followers needs to be one that readily offers peace and love through the free sharing of the Gospel – not the show of anger and retribution for those who refuse to receive it.

         Three would-be followers of Christ approached Jesus on the road to Jerusalem. One said:

“I will follow you wherever you go.” But Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to even lay his head.” Lk. 9:57, 58. NLT

He said to another person, “Come follow me.” The man agreed, but he said, “Lord, first let me return home and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Let the spiritually dead bury their own dead. Your duty is to go and preach about the Kingdom of God.” Lk. 9:59, 60. NLT

Another said, “Yes, Lord, I will follow you, but first let me say goodbye to my family.” But Jesus told him, “Anyone who puts a hand to the plow and then looks back is not fit for the Kingdom of God.” Lk. 9:61, 62. NLT

            Jesus is clarifying the parameters for, and the consequences of, making the decision to follow Him: First, it will be challenging because we must give up the (supposed) security of all things worldly, and place our absolute trust in Christ’s ability to provide what we need.

            Secondly, we must make our obedience to Jesus our highest priority, even over our familial obligations, (although we are not to ignore them).

            Lastly, we must face forward, and not look back, to stay on our heavenly course. We cannot keep one leg in the world and try to straddle the other in heaven. Remember Lot’s wife (Lk. 77:32).

            Ultimately, this is what Christ calls us to do:

…be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus…Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others. Endure suffering…as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them. 2 Tim. 2:1 – 4. NLT

         When Jesus finally arrives in Jerusalem, He keeps a low profile. The religious authorities are looking for Him and the crowds are talking about Him. Midway through the festival, Christ enters the Temple – stepping out into the spotlight.

            He astounds the people with His command and understanding of Scripture because they know that He has had no formal training. Jesus knows this and responds:

“My message is not my own; it comes from God who sent me. Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own.” Jn. 7:16, 17. NLT

“Those who speak for themselves want glory only for themselves, but a person who seeks to honor the one who sent him speaks truth, not lies. Moses gave you the law, but none of you obeys it! In fact, you are trying to kill me.” Jn. 7:18, 19. NLT

            Jesus speaks the word of God. In fact, He isthe living word of God – speaking to glorify His Father, not Himself. Christ also declares that He is void of unrighteousness, yet this crowd is steeped in it, as He points out in speaking to their desire to kill Him.

            Then, Jesus challenges the crowd to reveal what kind of crime it is that He has committed.

They begin to grumble about whether He should be arrested or killed. Others wondered if He really was the Messiah, while those who knew Him as a child in Nazareth did not believe. Jesus speaks to their quandary:

“Yes, you know me, and you know where I come from. But I’m not here on my own. The one who sent me is true, and you don’t know him. But I know him because I come from him, and he sent me to you.” Jn. 7:28, 29. NLT

            Obviously, these people did not possess a good knowledge of Old Testament Scripture, or they would have started putting the pieces together:

“But as for you Bethlehem…too little to be among the clans of Judah; from you One shall come forth for Me [who is] to be Ruler in Israel, His goings forth (appearances) are from long ago, from ancient days.” Mic. 5:2 AMP

            What Jesus is telling them, is that they might recognize His earthly form but have no grasp of His divine nature nor believe that God had sent Him. Furthermore, He accuses them of not knowing who God is.

            That was crossing a ‘red line’ as far as the crowd was concerned. The chief priests and the scribes tried to have Him arrested, but He was supernaturally delivered from their grasp (Jn. 7:30 – 32). Jesus spoke to the crowd once more:

“For a little while longer I am [still] with you, and then I go to Him who sent Me. You will look for Me, and will not [be able to] find Me; and where I am, you cannot come.” Jn. 7:33, 34. AMP

            Jesus is speaking of His resurrection and ascension to heaven. He is also alluding to the sins of these people, which will rob them of a similar experience.

            The crowd stubbornly remains clueless…

            To be continued in Part 2.

            Goodnight and God bless.

Christmas Is About Christ

            Isn’t that more accurate? It is a time to reflect upon the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior, to make merry because of the wonder of our heavenly Father’s immeasurable love for sending His Son to undo that which we have done…

            It all began when an angel, Gabriel, visited an elderly childless couple, Zacharias and Elizabeth. They were obedient to God, and never gave up hope that someday He would grant them a child.

            Gabriel tells them that their prayers have been answered, saying that they would have a son, and to name him ‘John,’ (John the Baptist in his adult life), who would serve a special purpose for Jehovah God:

“For he will be great in the sight of the Lord…He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb. He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.” Lk. 1:15 – 17. CSB

            Indeed, John the Baptist would reconcile many Israelites into a position of right relationship with God, so as to be prepared to receive the gospel of Jesus Christ.

            When Elizabeth was six months along in her pregnancy, Gabriel visits her cousin, Mary, and blows her away with his declaration:

“Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” Lk. 1:30 – 33. NLT

            (In the Greek, ‘Jesus’ is rooted in the word ‘lesous,’ meaning ‘The Lord is salvation.’)

            Mary is taken aback, and asks the angel how that could be so, because she was still a virgin. Gabriel answers:

“The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you, therefore the child to be born will be called holy – the Son of God.” Lk. 1:35 ESV

            Nothing like this in all of history has ever occurred. The Holy Spirit transformed Mary’s womb to be able to accept the Spirit of Christ and envelop it in flesh, to form the child Jesus.

Mary had to be a virgin, so that Jesus would not be tainted by the sin of Adam, that is handed down to each generation during the human act of conception.

Gabriel then told Mary that her cousin Elizabeth was also with child. Mary hightails it over to her cousin and as soon as she enters her house, John leaps in Elizabeth’s womb, and she is filled with the Holy Spirit, causing her cry out to Mary:

“Blessed are you among women, and your child will be blessed! How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Lk. 142, 43. CSB

            Mary stays with Elizabeth until just before John was born.

            She then returns to her fiancé, named Joseph, showing up with that telltale bump in her abdomen, and he knows it’s not his. Joseph is consternated over this, but God sends an angel to come to him in a dream:



“Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” Mt. 1:20, 21. NLT

            As the time Jesus’ birth was approaching, Caesar Augustus, emperor of Rome, ordered a census be taken, for the purposes of taxation throughout Judea. So, everyone had to register in the city where their ancestral records were kept. For Joseph and Mary, that was Bethlehem.

            When they arrived, there was no lodging available, so they had to stay in a cattle stall, where the Son of God was born.

            Simultaneously, an angel appeared to shepherds in a nearby field and declared:

“Do not be afraid, for look, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all people: Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” Lk. 2:10, 11. CSB

            The shepherds visited baby Jesus, and word began to spread far and wide – even to the ‘east,’ (a term generally used in the Bible to indicate Arab lands). From that region, ‘wise men’ (also translated as ‘philosophers’ or ‘astrologers’), were led by a star towards Jesus’ location so that they might worship this Child King.

            The king of Judea, Herod, heard of this, and fearing that his rulership was in danger of being usurped, had the wise men brought to him and asked them to report back to him when they located the baby, so that he too could worship Him. Not. He wanted to kill Him.

            The wise men did find Him and worship Him; but as they left to return, God sent them a vision in their dreams, warning them to not see King Herod. Simultaneously, Joseph received an angelic vision, advising him to take his family and hide in Egypt to avoid that same king.

            Time goes by and Herod figures out that He was duped. He asked his priests about where the Messiah would be born and they told him that the Scriptures foretold it to be in the city of Bethlehem.

            King Herod retaliated by having every male child, aged two and under, slaughtered.

            The king eventually died, and God sent an angel to tell Joseph to return to Judea, where his family eventually settled in Nazareth. And the Bible tells us:

And the Child continued to grow and become strong [in spirit], filled with wisdom; and the grace (favor and spiritual blessing) of God was upon Him. Lk. 2:40 AMP

            Now, as awesome as this amazing event is, let us look at the BIG PICTURE!

            The true gift of Christmas is Jehovah’s ultimate and free gift of love to His favorite creation (humankind) – the path to the blessed hope of reconciliation with Him, now and forever, through His Son, Jesus Christ.

            It is such a big gift. To receive it, all that we must do is get out of our own (worldly) way and stay focused on the enormity of God’s love, which He expresses within His purposes for everyone. When we step up to receive it, we can be the spiritual reflection of His will and enjoy His promotion and encouragement as we are realized in the power of Christ within:

I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose – I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infused me with inner strength and confident peace.]  Phil. 4:13 AMP

            Focusing on the gift keeps us humble, knowing that we are, left to our own devices, ineffective in God’s purposes. We must recognize, invite, embrace and lay hold of God within us. In that union, we finally attain a closeness within, (that we’ve so desperately sought for externally), through the grace of Christ’s communion with us.

            Only through the strength of that kinship, can we transcend the ways of the world and find our fulfillment in the love of our Creator and His Son:

…give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behaviors and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Rm. 12:1, 2. NLT

            The Christmas gift of God’s grace is an offering of unity with Him as His child, which transforms us from what we have become (worldly), to that which He first created us to be – wise, free in His truth, and spiritually awakened to know ourselves in Christ, conscious of the nature of God within.

 

We are then delivered by His grace from who we thought we were, into a new direction by yet another gift from God – the Holy Spirit.

            Also, let us not forget the Christmas gift of God’s mercy, which cleanses us from sins, perpetuated in ignorance, through the blood of Christ. He loves us so much that He covers us in Christ’s righteousness so that we can remain perpetually in His presence.

            Our part is to surrender to Jehovah’s love. Why? Because He knows there is no rest for you, until you rest in Him.

            Part of His love-filled will for us, is also to share this wonder with as many others as possible, preparing them as well, for Christ’s return – into the living gift of resurrection, forgiveness, acceptance, peace and spiritual perfection…

            Merry Christmas.

            Goodnight and God bless.

God Watches Over You

Precious [and of great consequence] in the sight of the LORD is the death of His godly ones [so He watches over them]. Ps. 116.15 AMP

Thus, God tells us Himself that He watches over us. Let’s see how he does that…

            Abraham’s second son was Isaac. Isaac had two sons, Esau and Jacob. Jacob disguised himself to fool Isaac, who was almost blind and on his death bed, into passing the family blessing upon him, instead of Esau, the heir apparent. Enraged, Esau sought to kill his brother. So, Jacob hightails it to his uncle’s house to hide.

            During Jacob’s journey, he camps for a night; and in the course of that time, God sends him a vision:

Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God ascending and descending on it. And behold, the LORD stood above it and said: “I am the LORD your God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to your descendants. Also your descendants shall be as dust of the earth…and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Gn. 28:12 – 14. NKJV

            We see then, that God, the Promise-Keeper, transfers His covenant promise from Isaac onto Jacob. The second thing to see, is the presence of angels in both heaven and upon the earth.

            God watches over you in many ways. Looking to the lead-in scripture at the top of this post, we see that God Himself watches over you. Jehovah also watches over you through His Son:

“The sheep that are My own hear My voice and listen to Me; I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will ever snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me is greater and mightier than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and the Father are One [in essence and nature].” Jn. 10:27 – 30. AMP

            Our Father also brings us closer to Him through the Holy Spirit:

“…the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor – Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you. Jn. 14:25, 26. AMP

            Finally, God watches over you by enlisting and sending His angels. ‘Angel’ is translated from the Hebrew malak, which means ‘deputy,’ ‘messenger,’ or ‘ambassador’ of God.

            Our first exposure to an angel was with one who had gone bad – the devil himself, the consummate liar, thief, murderer, and destroyer (Gn. 3:1 – 5).

            Second, we encounter angels, (cherubim), whom God placed at the gates of Eden after Adam and Eve were cast out. The angels were to keep any sinners from having access to the Tree of Life within the garden, to prevent them from having a life of eternal damnation. Thus, those angels’ job was to protect humankind from itself (Gn. 3:24).

            The third encounter was with the two angels sent to Sodom and Gomorrah to destroy the cities for their unrepentant depravity, (acting out God’s judgment), after they saved Lot and his family from being destroyed along with the other inhabitants (Gn. 19:1 – 25.). See also my previous blogpost https://godcherishesyou.com/the-past-sure-is-tense/

            The fourth appearance was of an angel whom God sent to Hagar, Abraham’s wife’s handmaiden, and mother of his first child, Ishmael. The angel was sent to comfort and encourage her, bringing her a prophetic message regarding the future success of her son (Gn. 21:8 – 18.).

            And now, we come to Jacob’s vision of angels freely traveling to and fro, between heaven and earth. Thus, we see that angels are sent to watch over us for God, showing us His love in a variety of ways. Before we examine them, let us look at how angels fit within God’s creative hierarchy:

What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that you care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You have crowned him with glory and honor. Ps. 8:4, 5. AMP

            The hierarchy is this: God is number One – Creator and Ruler of the Universe, extremely closely followed by and reflected in Christ and the Holy Spirit. Then come the archangels, and then the angels. Finally comes humankind. However, Jesus tells us that the relationship between the children of God and the angels will change when we enter eternity:

“…those who are considered worthy to gain that [other world and that future] age and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; and they cannot die again, because they are [immortal] like the angels (equal to, angel-like). Lk. 20:35, 36. AMP

            Angels may appear in a mighty grandeur (Rv. 10:1), or, they may hide among us, taking on human form:

Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. Heb. 13:2 NASB

            Now, let us look at why God sends angels your way. The first reason is to guide you on the path that He has prepared for you:

Behold, I am going to send an angel before you to guard you along the way and to bring you into the place which I prepared. Ex. 23:20 NASB

            All believers are traveling their own exodus on this earth. From His grace, God does not just send us one angel to help us on that trek:

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. Ps. 91:11 ESV

            Keep in mind however, having God watch over you, your heavenly protection, is contingent upon you having reverence and love in your heart for God:

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear Him [with awe-inspired reverence and worship Him with obedience], and He rescues [each of] them. Ps. 34:7 AMP

            The second reason God places angels around you is to strengthen you in your spiritual battles, just like He did for Jesus:

Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him. Mt. 4:11 NKJV

            Jehovah also dispatches angels to prophesy about the future:

Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.” Lk. 2:10 NKJV

            Finally, God sends His angels to declare the gospel:

Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth… Rv. 14:6 ESV

            Here’s the big picture of how God watches over you with His angels: Jehovah surrounds you with angels to inform you of what He wants both for you and from you, to guide you in how to act out His will, to comfort you, to protect you, to fortify you and to show you how to position yourself to be able to receive His blessings.

            What Jacob understood in his vision was that God sends His love to us in every moment – delivered by the angels on earth, who then return to heaven to report the outcome.

            Add God Himself, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, along with the angels, and you can see how our Creator brings heaven and earth to bear, to watch over you. Why would He go to such lengths to watch over you? You know. Because God cherishes you…

Goodnight and God bless.

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