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Mary with Jesus

Born of a Virgin

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“If you could pick the ultimate boss, what would that person be like?” We’d want our boss to be smart, to have clout. Additionally, we’d like our boss to be “one of us,” to have worked the job we have so that he/she could understand our particular challenges. Certainly we’d want a boss who “had a heart” for the employees, so that our best interests would be served.

Then we had suggested: “Wouldn’t we want our Savior to have similar qualities?” Of course! Since Jesus is truly God, we know that he’s smart, incredibly so. And talk about clout, wow!

But what about those other qualities—being one of us, having a heart for us—does Jesus have those qualities? Well he would … if he’s one of us. If he’s a human being, like us, then he would completely understand us; he would understand our challenges, stresses, hopes, fears, dreams, and goals. All of that would be true … if Jesus is a real human being.

Listen! “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son” (Luke 2:6,7). Jesus was BORN! Like you were born, like I was born—he was born. Which means what? It means that Jesus is a REAL human being—like you, like me. And that’s great! Since Jesus is a real human being, he understands what it’s like to be human. He understands what it’s like to get hungry and thirsty, to get tired and stressed. He understands what it’s like to have friends turn against you, to lose loved ones, etc. He understands, because as a human being, he has experienced all these things!

But remember, Jesus is also true God, conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. So put those two thoughts—that Jesus is both true man and true God—together. Since Jesus is truly human, he understands us. He has a heart for us because he’s one of us. But since Jesus is God, he can DO things for us! And since he’s God, he’s “really smart,” so the things he does will be the things which make sense for us. In Jesus we find exactly what we need—a Savior who is truly man, but also truly God. As a human being, he understands us. He “gets it.” But as true God, he can do something about it! Most importantly, he can do what we really need—he can save us from our sins!

Merry Christmas! Our Savior is born!

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Jesus in the Temple

Grew up in Nazareth

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The Bible tells us about Jesus’ miraculous conception and his birth in Bethlehem. We’re told that afterward, because of threats to Jesus’ life, Mary and Joseph had to take Jesus to Egypt for a time, then later the family returned to the land of Israel. (See Matthew 2.) Surprisingly, the Bible is silent about the rest of Jesus’ growing years—except for one incident when Jesus was 12 years old. His parents traveled to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover (one of three important religious festivals devout Jews were required to observe each year). Jesus—and many others—traveled with them. After the Passover, they began the journey home.

Unknown to them, Jesus had remained in Jerusalem, where he was spending the time in the temple, learning. When his parents discovered he was missing, they rushed back to Jerusalem, anxiously searching for him. When they found him, Jesus, he gently reminded them that he wasn’t just an ordinary 12-year-old. He was also the Son of God: “Why were you searching for me? … Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49).

But then comes the amazing part. He heads back to their home town, Nazareth, and we’re told that Jesus “was obedient to them” (Luke 2:51). Imagine! The true God, the all-powerful one, the wise one, gave obedience to human parents! He listened to—and obeyed—human beings! They should have been obeying him! Yet he obeyed them! WHY? Why would the true God give obedience to human parents?

Here’s why—it’s what we needed him to do. You see, God’s standard to enter heaven is perfection. God doesn’t say, “Do the best you can,” God doesn’t say, “Try hard, I’ll overlook the rest.” God does say, “Be perfect … as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48).

Perfect? Yes, perfect. That’s God’s demand. And no matter how hard we try, you and I don’t match up. So what did we need? We needed a Savior who could live a human life. Because Jesus was human he could live a human life; because he was God he could live that life perfectly, and live it in your place. In other words, because Jesus is true man and true God, the life he lived has been credited to you.

So as we watch Jesus obeying his parents, he’s not just doing that for himself; he’s doing that in your place. As we see him showing perfect love for his fellow humans, he’s not just doing that for himself—he’s doing that in your place. We couldn’t do it—he did it! The results? Now God can look at you and me who believe in him and say, “You’re perfect! You’re holy!” No, not because you were or are, but because Jesus lived a perfect life—in your place—and God has graciously credited that to your account.

Jesus DID it! For me! For you!

Begins his ministry

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What if Thomas Edison had invented the light bulb and then had not told anyone about it? How foolish that would have been! Great things need to be shared!

The greatest “thing” this world has ever received is God’s gift of a Savior—and God wanted people to know it. So, when Jesus was thirty years old, he began to make himself known in a public, attention-getting manner, so all could share the benefits!

It started when Jesus went to John the Baptist. John was ministering at the Jordan River when Jesus arrived. John baptized Jesus, and as he did, God the Father spoke from heaven, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love” (Matthew 3:17). At the same time God the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove. This was the Father’s and Holy Spirit’s way of officially, dramatically pointing to Jesus and saying, “This is the one. This is the Savior.”

Then Jesus began to gather a group of followers. But how were they to know that he was really the true God, that he really was the Savior? Jesus would have to make it known to them, with words and actions. He did it by doing things that only God can do. He performed real miracles.

His first miracle took place at a wedding in a town called Cana. Weddings were major events, sometimes lasting for days, and the host family was expected to provide everything for their guests, sometimes even changes of clothing! Unfortunately, this wedding was running out of wine—what an embarrassment! That’s when Jesus stepped in. He told the servants to fill six large jars with water (each held 20–30 gallons). Then, Jesus ordered them to draw some out and take it to the person who was overseeing the banquet. When he tasted it, the water had been changed into wine! Not only so, but the master of the banquet called the bridegroom aside and said, “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine … but you have saved the best till now” (John 2:10).

What a powerful effect this first miracle had on Jesus’ disciples! How did this affect those people whom Jesus had called to follow him? We’re told that “His disciples put their faith in him” (John 2:11). Wouldn’t you have done so as well? But maybe we wonder—was this a one-time thing? A fluke? Keep reading!

Served the people

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“Okay, so you did it once. That could be a fluke; do it again!” That’s reasonable. When scientists do a study which makes a significant find, immediately they want to re-do it, to make sure that it wasn’t a fluke. If we find the same thing consistently, then we say, “This isn’t a fluke, it’s a fact.”

Perhaps we’d wonder if Jesus’ first miracle—changing water into wine—was a fluke. So, Jesus did MANY miracles. For example, one time a group of 5,000 men, plus women and children, gathered to hear him. As evening came, Jesus told the disciples that they should feed the crowd. The disciples were stunned; how could they feed so many? They found one boy who had five loaves of bread and two small fish. What they considered a loaf of bread we would now consider a tortilla. It was about the size of a bagel. From that, Jesus fed the whole multitude! Then, a few months later, he fed another crowd of 4,000-plus. And we’re just scratching the surface. Jesus cured blindness, deafness, leprosy. He drove out demons, calmed storms. And perhaps most impressive, Jesus raised several people from the dead. Wow. This is no fluke! But we would fall short if we didn’t explore why Jesus did these things.

One time Jesus was teaching in a house when some men brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus. Because of the crowd, they couldn’t get to Jesus, so they climbed up on the roof, made an opening, and lowered their friend through it. Jesus’ first words were, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5 NIV).

The religious leaders were angered: “He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (Mark 2:7 NIV). Jesus then asked, “Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?” (Mark 2:9 NIV). For a “normal” human being both would be impossible. But for God? Well, he could do both. So, if Jesus could heal the paralytic, that would prove that he could also forgive his sins. And that’s exactly the point Jesus makes: “‘But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . .’ He said to the paralytic, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all” (Mark 2:10-12 NIV). Jesus healed him; therefore, Jesus could also forgive him.

And there we see the ultimate point of Jesus’ miracles. Each of those miracles said, Look at me! I have the ability and the authority to DO what you NEED! I have the ability and authority to FORGIVE you, to declare you innocent!” And as we look at all those miracles? We’re led to conclude, “This is no fluke! It’s a fact!”

Transfiguration

Suffered for all

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One time Jesus took three of his disciples to the top of a mountain. We read, “There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. . . . A bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!’ When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. But Jesus came and touched them. ‘Get up,’ he said. ‘Don’t be afraid.’ As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, ‘Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead'” (Matthew 17:2-9 NIV selections).

Wait a minute! Did you get that last part, the part about “rising from the dead”? Can you imagine how the disciples must have scratched their heads at that? They’d just seen Jesus’ glory, his power! How could one who was SO powerful…die? Who could cause it to happen?

Finally, only one person could really control it—Jesus himself. And that’s exactly what Jesus did. When the time was right, Jesus went to Jerusalem. He entered Jerusalem on Sunday, in a very public way. On Thursday of that week, Jesus celebrated the Passover (check out Exodus 12,13) with his disciples and told them that one of them would betray him, another would deny him. Then he took them out to a garden called Gethsemane.

While Jesus was there with his disciples, Judas—who had been one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, led a large band of soldiers to the Garden of Gethsemane. Jesus asked them for whom they were looking, and when they responded that they were looking for him, Jesus said, “I am he.” As he said this the whole band of soldiers was knocked flat on their backs! (John 18:1).

They scrambled to their feet. Then Peter, another of Jesus’ twelve disciples, grabbed a sword and cut off the ear of one of the high priest’s servant. Jesus rebuked Peter, then touched the man’s ear and healed it (Luke 22:50).

What would all these things have said to the people? They would have said, or at least SHOULD have said, “Hey—this Jesus—he’s not just an ordinary human being; he’s much more than that!”

But what is even more amazing is what we read at the end: “Then the detachment of soldiers with its commander and the Jewish officials arrested Jesus. They bound him …” (John 18:12). Why could they do that? Why could they bind him?

Only because he allowed it. It could happen—it DID happen—only because Jesus allowed it to happen.

Do we begin to see the depth of Jesus’ love for us? Just think, he—the all-powerful one—was willing to allow himself to be taken captive, to be bound. That’s how much he loves us…loves you!

 

Died for all

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Jesus had allowed himself to be taken captive; he was led to a middle-of-the-night trial before the Jewish religious leaders. The charge? Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. Jesus’ answer? “Yes, it is as you saw” (Matthew 26:64). The “charge” was true! And certainly, all the miracles Jesus had done gave plenty of proof of it.

Unfortunately, the religious leaders—in general—had rejected Jesus. So instead of eagerly welcoming Jesus as the promised Savior, they saw him as a threat and wanted to get rid of him. So the religious leaders condemned Jesus; they said he was worthy of death. Why? Because he claimed to be the Son of God! How ironic!

Since Judea was then under the domination of the Romans, the Jews didn’t have the right to execute people. Instead, they had to take Jesus to Pontius Pilate, the Roman official in charge of Judea. The religious leaders accused Jesus of insurrection, of claiming to be a king. The Roman government official wasn’t going to care if Jesus claimed to be the Son of God so they came up with a charge he would care about! Pilate recognized the charge was bogus but bent to the pressure; he ordered that Jesus be crucified.

Through it all, Jesus never argued, never “pleaded his case.” He didn’t want to be set free. Instead, he was willing to die. Why? Because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). The only way our sins could be paid for was if Jesus were to die. So instead of fighting the false charge, Jesus bowed to God’s will to bear the punishment of the world’s sin.

So he was nailed to the cross, crucified between two thieves. During his time on the cross—9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.—Jesus made seven statements, each giving us a look into God’s heart. From noon until 3:00 p.m. darkness covered the world; Jesus was suffering the punishment which we deserved. When the time was exactly right, when the bill for our sins had been paid in full, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). Then he died.

When Jesus died, there was an earthquake, a number of believers rose from the dead, and most importantly, the curtain in the temple was torn into two. That curtain had symbolically separated us, sinful humans, from the holy God. Because the full payment for sin had been made, the curtain was no longer necessary, so God tore that curtain down. We now stand at one with God, our sins paid for in full.

But can you imagine? The best was yet to come!

Rose from the dead

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Picture this. A friend of yours says, “I’m going to die. Then, on the third day, I’m going to rise from the dead.” How would you react? I think I’d have a really hard time not bursting out laughing!

But how would you react if your friend DID it? Would you be surprised? Of course! Would you understand it completely? Probably not right away. And … the next time your friend made a promise to you, do you think you’d listen? Absolutely!

The above scenario? That’s what Jesus did. He told his disciples on several occasions that he would die, and that he’d then rise. That’s exactly what happened.

Here’s how. After Jesus died—at 3:00 p.m. on Friday—several of his followers hastily buried him in a tomb cut out of the rock, like a cave. A stone was rolled in front of the entrance. The burial was hasty because the Sabbath Day began Friday at sundown—the Jews would not allow themselves to work on the Sabbath. The religious leaders remembered Jesus’ promise that he’d rise. Of course, they didn’t believe it, but they thought that the disciples might steal his body and claim he had risen. So, they asked Pontius Pilate, the Roman governor, for permission to seal the tomb and post a guard. Pilate agreed.

Early Sunday morning an earthquake shook the whole area. An angel rolled the stone away from the front of the tomb, revealing that the tomb was empty. The grave clothes were still there, folded nicely. During that day, Jesus appeared several times to different groups of his followers, assuring them that he had risen, just as he’d promised.

During the next 40 days, Jesus appeared more than a dozen times after his resurrection, sometimes to individuals, sometimes to small groups, sometimes to his group of disciples, and one time he appeared before 500 people! He wanted people to know that he really had risen.

But so what? What does it mean? For the answer, listen to what the apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:17, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” If Jesus didn’t rise, then his work was useless. If Jesus didn’t come out of the grave, you and I are stuck—stuck in our sins, with no way out. You and I would stand before God as guilty, to be condemned eternally.

But what if Christ HAS risen from the dead? What would that mean? That would mean that we’re no longer “in our sins.” That would mean we’re forgiven! That would mean that we stand before God as innocent! Christ HAS been raised! He did come out of the grave! That is God’s ULTIMATE proof to you that you’re forgiven, and by faith in the risen Christ you have a new life now and the sure hope of heaven forever!

The Great Exchange

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He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).

Life is filled with exchanges. Employees choose to exchange forty hours for a paycheck. Fans choose to exchange forty dollars for a seat at the game and then exchange another ten dollars for a hot dog and drink! Every day we choose to exchange time, money, effort, and emotion for what we hope brings us joy, peace, and satisfaction.

The Bible speaks about exchanges, too. A very important truth that God makes clear for us in his word is that he does not want us to have any sin. In fact, he says that if we sin, we cannot live with him because he is a sinless, holy God. Sin is so serious to God that he pronounces the death penalty for anyone who sins. He says, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), and “The soul who sins is the one who will die” (Ezekiel 18:20). So who can ever hope to stand in God’s presence and enjoy his favor? For try as we do, we are not perfect. Sinful thoughts, words, and acts clutter our lives.

There is good news, however. In love for us, God made an exchange. Instead of holding us under his judgment for all our wrongdoing, he placed his Son under judgment instead of us. The Bible is speaking about Jesus when it says, “He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

That is a great exchange! Jesus came and exchanged his life for ours. Our transgressions—times when we fail to live according to God’s holy will—were taken away when Jesus was pierced on the cross. Our iniquities—all the things we think or do that don’t measure up to God’s perfect will—were taken away when Jesus was crushed in death. Our punishment was paid for by Jesus.

Through Jesus you have peace with God. Through his wounds you are given life with God. Through Jesus you are forgiven and loved by God. Yes, you! God chose to make that exchange for you.

Jesus is our Refuge

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God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1).

“Christianity is a crutch for the weak.”

This is the atheist’s argument against putting one’s faith in the God of the Bible. They argue that anyone who depends on anything other than themselves is feeble.

Medically speaking, a crutch is a tool the injured use for support. Only the wounded need crutches. But here’s the thing: somehow, some way, we are all wounded. We all need help. Some just prefer the bottle over the Bible.

When we don’t feel good about ourselves, where do we turn for assurance? We have enough options to choose from: earthly goods, food, alcohol, drugs, money, work. The problem with many such crutches is that they offer only temporary reprieve and often only mask much deeper issues of the heart.

The heart of the issue is that we are all weak. We are all broken. We are sinners in desperate need of saving. And the only one who has the power to help us is Jesus Christ. He took up our infirmities. He carried our sorrows. And by his wounds we are healed.

God graciously allows us to go through hardship so that we seek the only one who can help. When we seek Jesus in our struggles, he finds us in his Word.
You say, “I can’t.” Jesus says, “I AM.”
You say, “I’m too tired.” Jesus says, “I will give you rest.”
You say, “I’m all alone.” Jesus says, “I am with you always.”
You say, “I don’t know where to turn.” Jesus says, “I am the way.”
You say, “I’ve had enough.” Jesus says, “My grace is sufficient for you.”
You say, “I’m afraid.” Jesus says, “My peace I give you.”
You say, “I can’t forgive myself.” Jesus says, “It is finished.”
You say, “I have my doubts.” Jesus says, “Whoever believes in me will never be put to shame.”

One Christian, reacting to the sufficiency of Jesus, observed, “Lord, you created us for yourself. And our hearts are restless until they find rest in you” (Augustine).

What was his point? Nothing satisfies like Jesus Christ.

The Measure of a Mustard Seed

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Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches” (Matthew 13:31,32).

What is America’s tallest mountain? Largest lake? Largest city? Most populous state? If you answered Mt. McKinley, Lake Superior, New York City, and California, you’re part of the proof that Americans pay attention to big things. We live in bigger houses, eat larger meals, and work longer hours than almost any other people in the world.  We tend to live by the maxim, “Bigger is better.”

But Jesus takes the “less is more” approach.  He says: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed.” Have you ever seen a mustard seed? It’s so small that you could hold thousands in your hand. Why would Jesus tell us this? Because it’s possible to be so focused on what looks big and impressive that we overlook him and his blessings.

It’s a common mistake. At first glance, there was nothing big or impressive about Jesus. When he came to establish his kingdom, he arrived as a child of a poor girl in a conquered country. He was born in a barn. He grew up in an obscure village. His followers were nobodies. He never wrote a book or held a high position. He never lived in a palace or even a house of his own. After a few years in the public eye, he was killed on a cross like a common slave. On Good Friday he looked small and powerless.

The measure of a mustard seed is not its tiny size, but the huge plant that it grows into. In the same way, the measure of Jesus’ humble life and death is not how many people missed its meaning at the time, but what he accomplished. By his perfect life and his innocent death, Jesus has freed the world from the guilt of sin. When Jesus rose from his humble grave to conquer death on Easter morning, he proved that what seems small and weak can be amazingly powerful.

Countless millions who have put their trust in him have become part of his eternal kingdom. What about you?