We live in spiritually troubling times. It is good to be reminded that this world is not our home - we are just passing through and all because of Jesus!
"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." - Isaiah 7:14
As I listened to a sermon one Sunday, it was if pieces to a puzzle were being fitted into place. The pastor's words were not something that I did not know, had not heard before but something that I did not see - until that moment. Of course, the verse in Isaiah is a prophecy about Jesus or should I say Immanuel - meaning God with us. Not God, the Father, that no man has seen. (John 1:18) It was His Son that the Father sent that the world has seen. (John 3:16)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. - John 1:1-4
It takes the revelation of God - by the Spirit - for us to understand who Jesus is. Like Jesus told Peter - when Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” [and] Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. Jesus is the Word - God the Son. It was that revelation that was the turning point in my mom's life - one day as she sat under the tree in our back yard reading John chapter 1, the Spirit opened the eyes of her heart and she believed that Jesus was Lord and God- that the Father raised Him from the dead having died for her sins and the sins of the world.
"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, and shall call His name Jesus. 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.” - Luke 1:30-33
His name is Immanuel and His name is Jesus - Yeshua Hamashiach - Jesus the Messiah. "Yeshua" signifying salvation and "Hamashiach" referring to the Anointed One - God who is our salvation. The two names go together like a hand in a glove. Perhaps that is old news to you. To me is was old - but at the same time was newly refreshed. But like the TV commercial says, "Wait - there's more!"
Jesus returned to the Father after His resurrection.
"And I [Jesus] will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans." - John 14:16-18
Jesus told Nicodemus that he had to be born again of the Spirit. But that was something that could not and would not happen until Jesus had ascended and the Spirit had descended. The Spirit is in every one who confesses the name of Jesus. The Spirit of God is the seal of God's promise of salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14) and the means by which we are connected to God the Father by faith in God the Son.
“These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you." - John 14:25-26
So we celebrate God the Father sending His Son (John 3:16) so that we might be saved from the penalty of sin and adopted as children of God. To be adopted means that Someone who is not your father has adopted you as His own.
"Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." - 1 John 3:1-3
Now that is something to celebrate!
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. - Psalm 42:5
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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