“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.” – John 3:16-18
Reality Two. God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal. God so loved the world that He sent His Son. God's eternal plan if redemption.
Through Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph, and Mary God initiated the revelation of His plan of redemption and the fulfillment of the prophecies of the coming of the Messiah.
How man imagined the way the Messiah would come and what God intended were quite different.
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." - Isaiah 55:8-9
Zechariah
“Now while he [Zechariah]was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.” – Luke 1:8-11.
It was God who initiated the revelation to Zechariah in the temple. God sought him out.
Elizabeth
“After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” – Luke 1:24-25
It was God who made the conception possible. God who chose Elizabeth. God, the seer of the hearts of men and women.
Joseph
“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham was the father of Isaac, and Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah …. Eliud the father of Eleazar, and Eleazar the father of Matthan, and Matthan the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.” – Matthew 1:1-2,15-16
It was necessary for the husband of Mary to be in the House of David, in the tribe of Judah in fulfillment of prophecy. Prophecy being what God had revealed to the men He anointed with His Spirit in times past to share what God would do in the future. God sees from the beginning to the end and beyond.
Mary
As Elizabeth was in the same tribe as Zechariah, it is generally assumed that Mary was in the same tribe as Joseph, however the Bible is not explicit as to which tribe Mary was a part of.
“And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” – Luke 1:30
God chose Mary because He knew her heart. He initiated the relationship because of His love for her and her love for Him.
For Us
“but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
God loves us and initiated the only way that we could be restored in that love relationship. He sent His Son to be born of a woman but not by man’s corruptible seed – which passes along the sin of Adam – but supernaturally. The first born among many. Likewise, when we are born again it is by faith and the Spirit of God and not the works of man. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
We have a choice – as did Zechariah, Elizabeth, Joseph, and Mary. They loved God more than their own lives and reputation.
Do you love God that much. The greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength. (Matthew 22:37) Love sacrificially just like God loves us. Let the celebrating of the birth of Jesus be a reminder that it represents the greatest gift we can ever receive – redemption, forgiveness, and eternal life with the Father through the Son. Not the baby – but the man.
Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
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