Jesus Prepared For His Own Death

Jesus Prepared for His Death

Book of John 13:31-14:6

Maybe the most important theme of this lesson is that the Lord Jesus Christ will show us His relationship to God the Father.

We will see that after Judas had left to betray the Lord Jesus and He then gets deeper in His message with those 11 who remained, who still had not realized that Judas would betray the Lord Jesus.

We see the Lord as He begins to enter into His "passion" which means the sufferings of the Lord as He begins His last few days on this earth before His resurrection and next His return.

In reality as the Son of Man, Jesus is preparing Himself to be the only sacrifice that can save all humanity!

It is through His death that He is glorified, and God the Father is glorified in Him!

By His own death the Lord has replaced our own death with His life.

Col 3:3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.

*****Joh 13:31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

Joh 13:32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.

The other disciples may not have known who the Lord had been talking about, but Judas knew, and He left but we must understand that the Lord had sent Judas away, all he needed was to repent and these sitting with Jesus would have been the 12 Apostles and we would have never met the Apostle Paul.

As Judas set in motion the things he did, Christ set in motion His Passion, the sufferings and the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This day would be Thursday late in the evening.

Doctor Luke wrote of this: Luk 12:50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!

Again we will see that there is a true unity of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit!

Jesus would now begin His final steps as the Son of Man!

Even in His dying, Jesus was perfect in His obedience to His Father.

In His death Jesus would transfer His own righteousness to every believer because we had no righteousness at all to use to gain peace with God the Father.

Isa_64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

With the righteousness of the Lord we are at peace with God:

Rom_5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Some would say that Jesus was having second thoughts, but He would not be God if He was happy to see the death of anyone.

The thing that was most important was that by His death, He would triumph over Satan and break Satan's power over death he held over the souls of mankind!

1Jn 3:8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

This is why the Lord had come down from Heaven and had to die on the cross!

*****Joh 13:33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

After this meal with His disciples and Judas already gone to do His evil deed, Jesus said He only had a short time to finish the work God had given Him to do.

It would require His death. At this time these men could not grasp the resurrection of the Lord after His death.

They would not understand these things until they were filled with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost which now was only about 53 days away.

The thing that they had to understand was that Jesus demanded a new commandment and that was for them to love one another but not as they had been doing but they were to show the love Jesus had for them to each other.

All of us can say we love one another but do we have that unconditional love that our Savior had.

These disciples had just been arguing over who should receive the highest positions of authority when Jesus returned to set up His Kingdom.

To love like Jesus, is to not to be a judge but to be a witness of the love of Jesus.

Once we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior, the Holy Spirit moves in to live within us but as human beings we also need each other which is the purpose of the Church for like-minded humans to gather together in the name of Christ and comfort and edify each other.

Mat_18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

These two or three would be the beginnings of a church!

Jesus had already given us one new commandment that extended from the Old Testament.

Mat 22:37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

Mat 22:38 This is the first and great commandment.

Mat 22:39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

Mat 22:40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

The new commandment that Jesus was talking about this day extends these two commandments.

We are not only to love one another, we are to love like Jesus loved and like God loves.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

If we cannot do this one thing, then we are not disciples of God.

This means we have stopped the learning process if we cannot love as Jesus loved and still loves each of us today.

A true disciple follows his Master!

We do not just go where He goes, we do as He does! "God; and everyone that loveth is born of God, and knows God".

1Jn 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.

1Jn 4:9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

Simon Peter always ask the questions the others were afraid to ask and most every time he would stick his foot in his own mouth.

*****Joh 13:36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.

Joh 13:37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.

Joh 13:38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

We all want to be where Jesus is, but not many want to carry their own cross!

The Cross is a sign of death!

It is sure that Simon Peter was not ready for Jesus to leave them, because he had not yet accepted everything that Jesus had said.

This is where we all get in trouble. We all get over confident in our Christian strength.

It would have been great for the disciples if they went with Jesus back to Heaven just as it would be for us if Jesus took us back to Heaven when He first saves us.

If this had happened, then there would be no church today.

The Lord assures us we are going to Heaven and that we are a Temple of God, but we have work to do after we are saved.

Note after we are saved and not before we are saved!

The Lord Jesus would cause Peter to humble himself before he was ready for Pentecost!

Peter had not yet taken a good look at himself in the mirror of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is to be our mirror to see if we are getting more like Him!

Peter would not show the proper strength of a Christian, until that cock crew and he realized he was denying the Lord whom He dearly loved!

The one sin that we as believers must not commit is to deny Jesus Christ!

Gal 6:3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.

Gal 6:4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

Gal 6:5 For every man shall bear his own burden.

We should know that there are some questions we might have, we have no business asking.

For instance are there just a few who will be saved? This question does not help our ability to share the Gospel with those in need of knowing the Lord as their Savior.

Go back and check the covenants to Abraham and King David.

Jesus would pray that all who loved Him would one day be with Him in Heaven and God the Father always answers the prayers of His Son.

This would be a much better thought when we share the Gospel with anyone.

Then the Lord tells His disciples, all of us what we love to hear.

*****Joh 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

This is one of the most overlooked Scriptures in the Gospel.

Jesus says why do we worry over such trivial matters!

Even when we are in the midst of a very bad day, Jesus says don't let it worry you.

Even when we are traveling in the valley of death, don't worry about trivial things.

Even when politicians have gone slap crazy, don't worry about trivial things.

Even when the world is falling apart, don't worry about trivial things.

Why? This place we call the planet earth is not our home!

One day soon we are going to God's House!

*****Joh 14:2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

Joh 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

The Lord Jesus Christ had to die upon this earth and then resurrect from that grave before He went back home, and He would do all these things by Himself so all we would have to do is believe on these things and our Carpenter would go back to Heaven and start building mansions in His Father's House for us to live in!

In reality this body that we call flesh, will also die and be resurrected to fulfill God's plans for us!

There is nothing on this earth that can stop these things from taking place!

Now to those who say God does not exist, I say, I will pray for you that maybe you will change your mind and accept the truth, before it is too late.

The Lord said, if these things were not true, He would tell us because it is impossible for the Lord to Lie!

You see Jesus is never far from us because when God leaves Heaven, God is still in Heaven and Jesus is God!

No matter how many are saved before the Lord returns, there will be enough mansions that we all can have one for ourselves.

That word "many" is a very large quantity!

**The Lord's first step was to be lifted up upon the cross and it is all downhill from that point.

1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

**The Lords next step was to arise from the death of the cross. This showed the world that He had the power of God.

Rom 6:3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Rom 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:

Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

Rom 6:7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.

**The Lords next step was to ascend into Heaven and be exalted by His Father.

Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Eph 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

"Jesus said if you believe in God then believe in Me"

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Jesus had to return to Heaven to put these things in place and now He is waiting until that last soul is saved and he will return to take us home.

2Pe_3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

In other words Jesus will return when His patience runs out and this could be any day now!

The one most important thing that the Lord did before He left, He told us how to make it to Heaven.

At the end when the Lord has brought all His children home there will not be a single empty mansion. The Lord knows exactly how many mansions to prepare.

What did the Lord tell these disciples?

1) You know where I am going.

2) You know how to get there.

These are the same things we all should know!

The Lord Jesus Christ went back to where His Father resides.

Joh 16:5 But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?

The way to get to Heaven is well known there are just many who reject what the Lord has said.

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Now we can believe all these things said by the Lord and get to Heaven or we can reject these things and go to Hell.

For those who choose this when they get to Hell, they will find that everyone in Hell are now believers, but it was too late for them to decide.

Another thing we should never do is call the Lord a liar!

*****Joh 14:5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

All these disciples had been thinking that Jesus was about to lead them to the Kingdom of God on this earth.

They had been discussing who would have the greatest honor in that place.

It was now sinking in that Jesus was talking about His death.

Jesus was also talking about His resurrection but neither of these things were understood.

Jesus was also talking about going some-place that they could not go.

These things were hard for them to grasp at this time.

It is hard to forget physical things and react to Spiritual things until "faith" and the Holy Spirit can do their work.

And the Holy Spirit could not do His work until Jesus went back to Heaven.

Eph 4:17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

Eph 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

Those who think in worldly terms and live for the things of this earth will never understand where Jesus Christ has gone, and they will never be interested in the fact that He will return.

The world of religion refuses to accept that the only way to Heaven is by Jesus Christ but that does not make them right.

I would always want to believe the truth and my "faith" lies in the truth of God!

**The Lord Jesus Christ not only points out how to walk in this life and how to reach our Heavenly Father, but He will take us by the hand and lead us there.

Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

**Our Heavenly Father has shown us what He is like in the "Person" of Jesus Christ

Joh 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

**Jesus Christ reveals the truth of our beginning. Jesus Christ also reveals the truth of our ending and because He loves us, He gives us the choice to choose the truth or to choose a lie.

Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,

Joh 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

**True freedom comes only by Jesus Christ.

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Jesus Christ is the embodiment of life:

2Ti 1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

2Ti 1:10 But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:

The only way to this life is the Lord Jesus Christ!

Jesus did not only go to His Father's house, He went to the Father again giving us an example of what we are to do.

Yes, we have a mansion in Heaven but the greatest thing in Heaven is our Heavenly Father who we will finally see face to face!

Then our love ones who are already there.

And then last of all, our Mansion which will not seem more important than the family of God!

Amen

Let's Pray!

The Power Of Jesus Christ

The Certainty Of Christ's Power

Book of Luke 7


What is the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ?

The answer to every question is Jesus Christ!

The answer to every need is also Jesus Christ!

Jesus Christ bridges the gaps and the differences between all of mankind!

We have only one thing to do on our part and that is we must have "Faith"!

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

In order to see the power of God the one requirement is faith!

Heb 4:2  For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it.

Faith begins with hearing and then believing the Word of God!

*****Luk 7:1  Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.

Jesus had just finished teaching about having the right attitude.

The right attitude when attached to faith in the Lord gives God something to work with!

We know that Jesus was called a Nazarene because He was raised in Nazareth.

We know that Jesus had been rejected by His hometown of Nazareth and He had made His headquarters in Capernaum.

It can be understood that Jesus did not have a house in Capernaum but it was a place He could take shelter.

Mat 8:20  And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

Just as He and the disciples were returning to Capernaum, Jesus was approached by the elders of the city.

*****Luk 7:2  And a certain centurion's servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.
Luk 7:3  And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.

The first thing we see is that having great faith and the right attitude leads to those who have great care!

A Roman Centurion would be in command of at least 100 men.

A servant to a Roman Centurion would have certainly have been his slave.

What we see in this Scripture is a Roman Centurion who had a slave that he honored and considered him to be a precious human being.

This was in all probability a Jew!

In the society of that day, a slave was not much more than a tool to be used until it was worthless and they had absolutely no rights as a human beings.

A slave could be mistreated or even killed without repercussions.

This Roman commander had a slave that he cared very much about.

Most owners of slaves would have just gotten rid of that slave and just replaced him with another but this soldier seemed to care for people.

We also see that Jesus was well known by the government officials and the elders of the synagogue.

BUT, This soldier had something that was missing from the Jewish people, it's called "faith".

This soldier had heard of the things that Jesus had done and he simply believed!

Jesus the "Miracle Worker", Jesus the "Great Physician", Jesus the "Master Teacher" was coming to town.

It does not say that these Jewish elders had any faith at all. They only thought of this Centurion as someone who did not cause harm to the Jewish people.

**A lesson we can see as Christians, is that those of "great faith" will feel unworthy to approach the Lord.

Another lesson we can see is that the government always has it's eyes on Christians.

But we must also understand that there are even some in the government that can be reached with the "Gospel" and it will change their relationship with the people for the better.

In contrast when a man that has been trained to take lives meets the Savior who is the giver of life, it is the Lord. our Savior, who always wins.

Most soldiers truly develope a brotherhood with those who fight by their side.

AND, The Lord Jesus Christ has a message of love and brotherhood!

This soldier knew he was a terrible sinner.

This soldier knew he was unworthy.

BUT, this soldier was not too proud to ask for help!

This soldier found someone to intercede on his part!

As Christians we simply must not ever allow our unworthiness and the fear of rejection to come between us and the Lord!

The truth is:

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Our world today is filled with people who do not even want to hear the 'Gospel" because they know it exposes them of the truth.

AND, The truth is we must humble ourselves before the Lord if we  wish the blessings of God!

Isa 57:15  For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

**Next we will see that great "faith" will seek out God!

*****Luk 7:4  And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, That he was worthy for whom he should do this:
Luk 7:5  For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.

A Roman soldier would have knowledge of all the pagan gods of Rome and if he sought them, which he probably did, he had found that nothing comes from false religion and hope is not a word that is used by false religion.

No doubt he had heard many times of the God of Israel and had heard of the great things He had already done and he had since heard many of the Jews speak of the Messiah who had authority over all God's creation.

Hope will always draw us to our God!

Jer 32:27  Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?

There are several times we see the Centurion soldiers in the New Testament and every time they are seen as favorable.

The one most remembered is Cornelius who reached out to Peter.

A Centurion at the cross who was convinced that Jesus was the true Son of God.

A Centurion to took the Apostle Paul to Rome.

It can be said that the God of Israel had made a great impression upon them all.

This Centurion had actually built s synagogue for the Jews of Capernaum to worship God and may have even worshiped with them there.

We see in this man a "man of faith" who "loved God".

What is the truth of God?

1Co 8:3  But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

Those that see "typology" in the Scriptures can see this man who loved the Jewish people even though he is hated and despised by most all of them.

We see a "Gentile" who did what he could to aid in the worship of Jehovah God!

Even his Jewish enemies felt the need to intercede for him with the Lord Jesus Christ.

This Gentile, Roman Commander exhibited more faith in Christ Jesus than all those in Capernaum!

*****Luk 7:6  Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:
Luk 7:7  Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.
Luk 7:8  For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

We must understand that "faith" is the key that unlocks all the doors of Christianity and everlasting life!

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Faith comes from a belief in the truth and confidence in the Word of God and it's truths.

If we cannot believe that there is a God, we have nothing to base our "faith" upon!

If we cannot believe in a Supreme Being, then we have to admit that everything we see happened by accident, which in itself is impossible!

Jesus Christ is the sovereign Lord of all creation and "ALL" power is subject to Him!

Jesus Christ is the "Rewarder" to "all" those seek Him and He will use His power in behalf of those that seek Him!

This Centurion had diligently sought our Lord.

This Centurion had believed in the power and the authority of our Lord.

This Centurion had "great faith" because he believed that Christ Jesus could just speak and things would happen!

This Centurion understood the Genesis record of creation!

Col 1:14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Col 1:17  And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

This Centurion understood the truth because he believed that the Word of Christ was all that was needed!

The Lord Jesus Christ does not have to be present for our needs to be met!

This is why our prayers are so important!

This is the reason we should ask in the name of Jesus!

Joh 14:13  And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14  If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

This Centurion understood what the word authority really meant!

Authority is the right to command!

This Centurion could issue an order and it would be carried out, whether he was there or not was not important.

He understood that Jesus need only to speak and whatever He said would be done.

This is the "faith" that is lacking in our prayer life today!

This is the "faith" that is lacking in our churches today!

Psa 37:5  Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

What could Jesus do but only do as He said He would do, by the Word of God.

*****Luk 7:9  When Jesus heard these things, he marvelled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
Luk 7:10  And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick.

This Gentile Roman Centurion had exhibited greater "faith"in the Word of Jesus Christ, than most all the Israelites to whom He had first come.

This Gentile Roman Centurion had caused the hand of God to be moved, a great example for us all!

Notice Jesus did not embrace this man for who hew was or what he had done in his past. Jesus embraced him for His "faith"!

Even today it is hard to find the same "faith" this soldier exhibited, even in the Church.

The Lord Jesus healed this servant because He could!

The Lord Jesus is truly the Messiah!

The power of the Lord Jesus Christ has not diminished in all these years. It is our lack of "faith" that has made the church weak in this day and time!

For Jesus to meet our needs, we must believe that He can meet our needs, after all why pray if we do not believe that God is who He says He is!

AND, The power of God is in His Son Jesus!

Mar 9:23  Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth.

There are still many doubters in the world so Jesus decided to help a mother.

*****Luk 7:11  And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people.

Nain is 6 miles from Nazareth and a day's journey from Capernaum.

Nain is also the same area where Elisha had raised the son of a Shunammite woman.

2Ki 4:34  And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
2Ki 4:35  Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.

We know that the most phenomenal event in history is the resurrection of the dead.

Every believer shares this promise of God!

1Th 4:13  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
1Th 4:14  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
1Th 4:16  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Many people just have a hard time believing this thing so God, by the Holy Ghost, included this resurrection in the Word of God.

In this incident in Nain there were many eyewitnesses this day and this miracle could not be denied!

We must first understand that a widow left entirely on her own had very little chance of survival at that day and time.

The loss of this son would probably be a loss this widow would never overcome!

In the middle east today, it is only Israel that gives women the freedoms they deserve so they can in fact survive in this world.

As Jesus entered into Nain, He came upon a funeral procession.

*****Luk 7:12  Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her.
Luk 7:13  And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not.

Aren't you glad we serve a God with compassion?

Compassion is the suffering of one for another and a sensation of sorrow for some one else's sorrows.

Aren't you glad we serve a God who can be touched with our own sorrows?

Jehovah God will get close and personal with those He loves!

The Lord Jesus Christ was touched by the broken heart of this mother.

She was already a widow with only one son and she had outlived her son which we all expect not to happen.

None of us want to bury our own children!

She was a woman alone in a world that was already harsh and rough on women!

The family name would die out with the death of her son but the Lord Jesus had compassion of her.

The size of the crowd told Jesus how much this mother had been loved in the community.

We can see that she had loved and cared for many of them throughout her years.

Throughout the Word of God we see our Lord who is always touched and moved to help all those who have helped others!

Psa 103:13  Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.
Psa 103:14  For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

We also notice that in this case no one asked Jesus for His help.

We have a God who will at all times act on His own compassion!

After all God sent His Son to save us while we were all yet sinners!

Normally Luke used the name Jesus but on this occasion, by the Holy Ghost, Luke writes that it was the Lord who saw this woman who was so loved by this community.

It is the Lord who holds the sovereign power of the universe!

It was the Lord of compassion who had seen this woman!

It was the Lord of all power who could do something about it!

We have a God who can have compassion on a single individual, located in an unknown place, totally out of touch to the rest of the world!

Rom 8:35  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Rom 8:38  For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Rom 8:39  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

It was the Lord who spoke to this woman and gave her assurance.

Thank goodness we have a God who is not way off but a God that is near enough to see the troubles we have!

Jer 23:23  Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?
Jer 23:24  Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.

Thank goodness we serve a God of mercy!

Lam 3:21  This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
Lam 3:22  It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Lam 3:23  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Lam 3:24  The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

Our Lord is also our example of the compassion we are to have for one another!

It is only this same compassionate, loving God, who holds the power of resurrection!

*****Luk 7:14  And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise.
Luk 7:15  And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.

**We must clearly understand that the Lord Jesus Christ has the power to by-pass all religious beliefs without compromising on the Word of God!

Jesus has the sole power over life and death!

**We must clearly understand that Jesus has the power to stop a death processional without speaking a Word.

Jesus simply walked over and touched the bier.

Our lesson is that we to must be obedient if we wished to be raised from the dead!

Php 3:10  That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Php 3:11  If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

**We must clearly understand that Jesus has the power to raise the dead just by saying "Arise".

Joh 11:25  Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Joh 11:26  And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Joh 11:27  She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

This mother, who could already see death in her own future because of cruel world now saw life because of Christ Jesus.

*****Luk 7:16  And there came a fear on all: and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.
Luk 7:17  And this rumour of him went forth throughout all Judaea, and throughout all the region round about.

What is it to fear God? The truth is we should have absolute fear of the power of God but to those that know Him, our fear is coupled with love and hope.

We truly serve an awesome God!

If we have a reverent fear of the Lord it will keep us from being so careless with the Word of God but also be an incentive to live as Jesus and as an example to all others in the righteousness of Jesus.

Php 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Php 2:12  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Php 2:13  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

When this young man sat up, who was dead, the city of Nain saw something they had never witnessed but had only been talked about since the days of Elisha.

What is the truth? God is the giver of all life and it is only God who can restore life!

Our lesson should also be that we serve a God who is always ready to show His compassion.

Jesus was only glorified as a great prophet because Elisha had done a similar thing many years before Jesus.

BUT, more important these people realized that after more than 400 years God had again visited His people!

This is the thing that was broadcast throughout the region!

Israel might not know who Jesus is but they certainly know they have a compassionate God!

Heb 13:15  By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Heb 13:16  But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased

What these people missed was the "Grace" of God.

What the world of today misses is the power in the Word of God!

AND, more important when will people realize that the Lord Jesus Christ will return just as He promised!

Joh 14:1  Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Joh 14:2  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Joh 14:4  And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

We can be certain of the power of Christ Jesus!

Most of our world today question the Messiahship of Jesus Christ.

John the Baptist was locked up in prison by this time and He did not so much doubt the Lord Jesus as He wanted proof that he had not wasted his time as a preacher of the Word of God.

We will all suffer doubts from time to time.

*****Luk 7:18  And the disciples of John shewed him of all these things.
Luk 7:19  And John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?
Luk 7:20  When the men were come unto him, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?

None of us will ever go through this life, even after salvation, without an occasional period of doubt.

John the Baptist was experiencing such a time.

The one thing we should always remember, when it comes to the Word of God, honest questions never disappoint God.

God only judges rebellion against His Word!

God will meet and answer every honest question from those who trust Him in "faith"!

It seems that while John was in prison some of his followers began to follow Jesus and they had returned to tell John what they had seen.

John was truly enthused about what he had heard but we must remember John was still expecting the King of Kings to restore Israel to her glory as the prophets had said.

What John heard was that when people tried to encourage Jesus to be king that He would withdraw and discourage their actions.

Luk 5:15  But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities.
Luk 5:16  And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed.

John needed assurance that Jesus was much more than some prophet or some healer but truly the Messiah.

John sent two of his disciples just to ask Jesus if He was the Messiah.

Just as in the temptations of Satan, Jesus answered them with the Word of God.

*****Luk 7:21  And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight.
Luk 7:22  Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.
Luk 7:23  And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

When we look back on the "Gospels" of the Lord Jesus Christ in faith we can see that the ministry and the message of Jesus Christ proved that He was the Messiah!

One thing should be very clear to us in the end, it is sin to question the methods God uses to accomplish His will on this earth or in this universe.

**Jesus first demonstrated His powers. Jesus cured many and restored sight to man who were blind.

Jesus was saying, "if you want to judge Me, judge Me on what I do".

Jesus confessed to be the Messiah.

Jesus proved He was the Messiah with His actions.

Jesus demonstrated to the world that "there is a God".

A God that is above all the natural world.

A God that could heal any and all disease.

A God that truly loves His creation and had compassion for sinful man.

A God who had the perfect plan of salvation for all those that would believe.

**Only Jesus and not some prophet could fulfill the prophesies of the Old Testament.

Jesus was saying to the disciples of John, that God's idea of the Messiah is far different from what man had made it out to be!

Jesus said to the disciples of John, there are far greater things than the things of this earth.

Act 26:18  To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

**Jesus said to John's disciples, there far more people than just the people of Israel.

**Jesus said, before the wrath of God comes, must come the blessings of God.

Isa 61:1  The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;
Isa 61:2  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Isa 61:3  To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

**Jesus told the disciples of John to tell him to be patient!

The personal ministry of Jesus the Savior must be complete before the political ministry of King Jesus can begin!

And Jesus ends by saying blessings comes to those that are patient waiting on the Lord to complete His ministry of salvation.

Before the Kingdom Jesus can be established, those who will live there must be established!

1Pe 2:7  Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
1Pe 2:8  And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
1Pe 2:9  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
1Pe 2:10  Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

The power of God is certain through the testimony of Jesus Christ!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

The Authority Jesus Christ Is Certain

The Certainty Of Christ's Authority

Book of Luke 6:1-19


What is authority? Authority can be said to be "legal power".

Mat 7:28  And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
Mat 7:29  For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

The Scribes, which many of them were also Pharisees, for the most part, just read the Scriptures. They taught in a cold and lifeless manner.

They did not have the power of the Holy Spirit!

They taught more about themselves, in their own name, by their own interpretation and by their own authority!

Jesus taught as the Lawgiver.

120 times Jesus used the words "I say unto You" because He had the authority of Heaven and not of men!

Jesus had direct authority and all the power of the Holy Spirit!

Let's begin:

Luk 6:1  And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands.
Luk 6:2  And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?

When people speak about religion, they speak of form and ritual, rules and regulations, ceremonies and services.

What does God say?

2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

Placing religion above mankind and above the needs of mankind is exactly what the religionists do today!

This is exactly what these Scribes and the Pharisees and even the Sadducees did at the time of Jesus.

True Christianity is knowing that God is meeting the needs of His creation!

***Meeting man's needs is much more important than religion and ritual!

***Doing good and saving life are much more important than religion and ritual!

Jesus came to seek and to save and these things remain the most important things for the Church!

The events of these Scriptures took place on two different Sabbaths.

Luke begins with "real needs" are more important than "religion and rituals".

The disciples that followed Jesus were hungry that morning because they had not eaten since the previous day.

As they were passing a corn field they began to pluck and eat some of the corn.

There was no law against this, for it was permitted by the Laws of Moses to eat some of the corn as they passed by.

Deu 23:25  When thou comest into the standing corn of thy neighbour, then thou mayest pluck the ears with thine hand; but thou shalt not move a sickle unto thy neighbour's standing corn.

Their crime, according to the Pharisees, was rubbing the corn in their hands to remove the husk and silks.

This was twisting the Word of God into a man-made false thing.

BUT, Working on the Sabbath day was a serious offence to these orthodox Jews.

Law after law had been written to govern activities on the Sabbath.

In fact many a person were condemned and actually lost theirs lives for breaking the laws of the Sabbath during the time of the Pharisees.

We should consider that God gave the seventh day, the Sabbath, as a day of rest during creation week.

Our good health demands that we have a day of rest!

To the Jews, it was the Laws of Moses that had kept them together throughout these centuries and all the Law was important to them!

The Temple and the Sabbath became the glue that held that nation together and made them a distinct people from all other people as they remain even in our day.

This is one of the reasons that Jesus was so greatly opposed by the Jewish religious leaders of that day and by all the false religions of today.

When we allow religion and ritual, ceremony and position, and security to become more important than the basic needs of human life, which begin with a personal relationship with God, compassion for all others, true worship and the mercy of God, then we have a false understanding of what God is saying!

Jesus Christ shows the entire world that human needs are far more important to God than religion and religious rules!

We should still consider:

1) We must not ignore the Word of God nor the worship of God but there are some needs that require an immediate solution.

Heb 10:25  Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

2) Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath and every other day of the week, and it is He who decides when a need supersedes religious ceremony and He gives us these examples.

Mat 20:25  But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.
Mat 20:26  But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Mat 20:27  And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:
Mat 20:28  Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

These Pharisees that approached Jesus this day were probably Scribes because of that word "certain".

Many Scribes were also Pharisees but not all Pharisees were Scribes. Some Scribes were also called Lawyers.

Most of these Scribes were committed to the Jewish Faith.

These Scribes had two primary functions:

1) The Scribes made copies of the written Word of God, at that time only the Old Testament.

They were meticulous to keep count of every letter in every word!

They clearly understood that God had given them the Scriptures and those words were the greatest things in the life of the Jewish nation!

To the Jews the Word of God was considered the most precious possession in all the world.

This holds true today for every believer!

The Word of God is the most important thing that we can possess!

2) The Scribes, studied, classified, and taught, the moral law.

It was in this function where the Oral Law began to take it's place.

There was at one time so many oral rules and regulations that they were contained in 50 volumes and these Jews began to place the oral Law above the written Law of God.

Mat 12:10  And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.
Mat 12:11  And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?
Mat 12:12  How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

The Scribes began to feel that it was they who produced the oral Law and it was they who had God's final Word.

This is thinking with the exalted mind of man.

This is the way most every false religion has had it's beginnings!

There are to many today who feel like it is their own interpretation of the Word of God that is correct and all others are wrong but that's not what God says.

Rom 3:4  God forbid: yea, "let God be true, but every man a liar"; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

2Pe 1:20  Knowing this first, "that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation".
2Pe 1:21  For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

Mat 5:18  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, "one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled".

Rev 22:18  For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, "If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book":
Rev 22:19  And "if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book".

God says what He means and God means what He says and God has never given us the freedom to change the Scriptures He has given to us!

Christ Jesus answered them with a simple question!

*****Luk 6:3  And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungred, and they which were with him;
Luk 6:4  How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone?
Luk 6:5  And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

It is real important that we read and study the Word of God "ourselves", so we can know when we are hearing the truth from those who preach and teach!

The "shewbread" in the Temple and in the Tabernacle symbolized the "Presence of God" who is the "Bread of Life"!

There were 12 loaves brought into the House of God and taken to the Holy Place by the Priests and placed on a table before the Lord.

This was intended as a "Thanksgiving Offering" expressing appreciation and praise to God for providing food for the people.

This bread symbolized the everlasting covenant between God and His people.

The bread was to changed every week and the old loaves became food for the priests.

There was great respect for King David for he had brought peace to all of Israel by defeating all her enemies.

The intent of the Words of Jesus was that no ceremonial law was to ever over ride the general principle of God providing for His people!

And Matthew made this thing even more clear, with that actual words of Jesus:

Mat 12:7  But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

The Laws of God were never intended to be a burden!

The Laws of God are to be for our guidance and then our example of striving for perfection.

God is a God of "mercy"!

The Lord Jesus Christ must be our Lord everyday and that includes the Sabbath.

The Sabbath was the seventh day of the Jewish week and from Friday at 6 PM until Saturday at 6 PM it was to be a time of rest.

Works of necessity were always allowable on that Sabbath, after all the Sabbath was to be spent in the service and to honor the Lord of the Sabbath.

For instance, the shepherds had to work 7 days a week and the super religious despised them for this because they could not keep the oral laws they had put in place.

As Christians the seventh day is Sunday because Sunday was the day that Jesus Christ arose from the tomb and is therefore the Lord's Day!

The blessings of Jesus Christ are promised to the suffering saints who live by the Word of God and the "Gospel" of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Woe to all those who trust in the riches of this world and show contempt to God's people!

Those who were so super religious ignored the Word of God and condemned the Lord and Savior who is the fulfillment of all the Word of God that they so boasted about.

*****Luk 6:6  And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.
Luk 6:7  And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.
Luk 6:8  But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.
Luk 6:9  Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?
Luk 6:10  And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
Luk 6:11  And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.

Jesus first showed the religionists that "real needs" are more important than religion and rituals.

Now Jesus will show them that "doing good and saving life" are much more important that religious rituals.

The truth is a one handed man has a major disability even in our day but in that day of Jesus it was a serious disability. This man would not be able to take care of his own needs.

Those who were super religious and had placed the oral Law above the written Word of God were like hawks ready to attack, if Jesus made an attempt to heal this man's hand.

They were not watching for another miracle, they were watching that they may accuse Him of ignoring their precious "man-made oral Laws"!

Healing on the Sabbath was considered to be work!

Our God is "omniscient", knowing all things, but He did not need that power to know what those religionists were doing this day!

Jesus was causing them to be honest in their conclusions and be willing to understand the truth of God!

To do good and save a life will always supersede religious rituals!

That's what salvation is all about, doing good and saving lives!

Why preach the Word of God if salvation is of so little importance!

Salvation is the ultimate healing, the ultimate saving of life!

As it was on this day that this man stood before the Lord:

2Co 6:2  (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

In fact there is no better day to do good than on a day of worship!

If we refuse to help those in need, when we are able, no matter the day, then we are doing evil.

Rom 13:10  Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

And as religionists do, they became very mad, they were filled with madness!

We must consider that the nation of Israel was based upon the Word of God.

The Ten Commandments and the Books of Moses were the laws of Israel from their beginning.

It was these religionists who were causing these things to change and not the things that Jesus did.

America was founded on the principles of the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ and it is the Liberals and the Religionists who are changing everything we stand for and not the Word of God.

Extreme legalism and extreme devotion, were the two major traits of the Pharisees and most of the Scribes.

Those Sadducees were even more liberal than the Pharisees were legalistic!

These traits, when attached to someone with a self-centered heart will lead to abuse!

Legalism takes away from the "Mercy" and the "Forgiveness" of God.

God detests a "holier than thou are" attitude!

Pride is also a hindrance to every Christian!

There is no such thing as perfect obedience to the Word of God and any of us can easily become hypocritical!

Personal achievements do not influence the hand of God and nor does seeking recognition!

We must walk the talk. We cannot teach one thing and practice another thing in our lives!

And, God does not need our permission to work in someone's life!

Doing good and saving lives is what God intends for us all to do!

God is still in the life saving business!

Mic 6:7  Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?
Mic 6:8  He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, "but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God"?

What is the will of God?

It is the will of God that we all be more like His Son Jesus!

Luk 19:10  For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

If what we do makes the Liberals and the Pharisees of today mad, then we should also be like Jesus in this and continue on in the work of the Lord.

So what if they get mad, they will always be this way!

*****Luk 6:12  And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Jesus was the perfect Son of God, so we must remember Jesus did not have to pray for forgiveness. In reality Jesus was always praying for His people, the lost and the saved!

It is a fact the God uses people to get His message of salvation into this world!

It does not matter about their size, their shape, their color, or their nationality, God is no respecter of persons!

So how does God choose His people?

1) Jesus chose His people after prayerful consideration!

Here we see that Jesus continued all night in prayer.

Most of the time we can count the time we pray all day in minutes and we are usually making requests for ourselves and then for the people we know.

We forget that prayer is also a great means of developing our personal relationship with the Lord!

God wants to hear from us, everything about our day!

We pray for the arm of God and forget to pray for the face of God!

When we climb in our closet and get alone with God it is then that we can just talk as friends talk.

Mat 6:6  But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

All other times as we go about our daily task, if we are aware of God's constant presence, we will be talking to Him rather than talking to ourselves!

1Th 5:17  Pray without ceasing.

Thinking of and talking to God is fellowship prayer and any improvement in our relationship with the Lord is always beneficial.

But we also need that consecrated closet prayer.

We need some time alone with God!

It was time for Jesus to pick those who would be the first messengers of the New Testament church and Jesus needed much closet prayer!

*****Luk 6:13  And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;
Luk 6:14  Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,
Luk 6:15  Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,
Luk 6:16  And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

Our Lord Jesus prepared all night for the decisions He made on this day!

A great example for us all!

Jesus had to be willing to choose those His Father had chosen!

Joh 17:12  While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: "those that thou gavest me I have kept", and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.

Did Jesus pray long and hard before He chose Judas, sure He did!

Joh 6:70  Jesus answered them, Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?

There many disciples following Jesus at that time.

The term "Disciple" means "to learn", "a learner", and it always means a pupil of someone else!

In the day of Jesus, a disciple would attach themselves to a teacher and follow that teacher wherever they went.

They not only learned from what that teacher taught but they learned from that teacher's life!

After the ascension of Jesus back to Heaven, the disciples are all those who confess Jesus as the Messiah!

Act 11:26  And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.

Jesus Christ chose twelve men in which 11 of those would be Apostles.

The term "Apostle" means a disciple "who is sent".

An Apostle was a man chosen directly by the Lord Jesus and under the control of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus even said He was an Apostle sent by His Father:

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Jesus is called the Apostle and High Priest of our profession of faith, which is Christianity!

Heb 3:1  Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;

There may have been others that were called apostles but there is a distinct difference between these and the ones that Jesus chose.

There were 12 Apostles chosen specifically by the Lord.

There were 12 Apostles trained by the Lord.

There were 12 Apostles that saw Jesus after His resurrection.

There were 12 Apostles that were to carry forth the message of Jesus Christ which came from His own mouth.

The Apostles are the foundation of the Church with Jesus being the Head Cornerstone!

When we stray from the teachings of the Apostles we stray from the "Gospel of Jesus Christ".

Act 2:42  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Act 2:43  And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
Act 2:44  And all that believed were together, and had all things common;

What was the Apostles statement of faith?

A belief in God the Father Almighty, and in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Holy Ghost and the Virgin Mary; crucified under Pontius Pilate, and buried; the third day He arose from the dead; He ascended into Heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father, from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. And in the Holy Ghost; the holy Church; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; the life everlasting.

To vary from this statement is to distance yourself from the Church of the Living God!

To believe these things is to acknowledge Jesus as God and to know that there is only one God and He is the God of the Bible and all religions simply do not worship the same God!

My God is Jesus and I am an ambassador for Christ!

I am a Christian only if I try to be like Jesus Christ!

And, It should not astound me that my Lord will choose some people for a special calling!

It should also not astound me that my Lord will choose people with very diverse personalities!

Many of the Apostles were fishermen but at least three were also businessmen. Peter James and John.

One  was probably a rich man, Matthew.

One was a political Zealot and would have been an enemy of Matthew, Simon Zelotes.

It was the zealot's goal to overthrow the Roman government and all Jews who worked with them, and Matthew was a tax collector.

One was deeply religious, Nathanael, his name meaning "gift of God" and also called Bartholomew.

All the Apostles were given to edify the Church:

Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

The twelve that were chosen that day who were still called disciples were these.

1) Simon who is also called Peter, Simon Peter, and Cephas.

Simon Barjona or Simon son of John. Fisherman and Business man.

2) Andrew, the younger brother of Peter who spent most of his time in the background but whenever we see him, he is always bringing someone to Jesus.

3) James the son of Zebedee, fisherman and business man but also bold and full of energy. James was the first Apostle to die for the Lord.

4) John, younger brother of James, fisherman, business man, he said he was the disciple that Jesus loved and the only apostle who died of old age.

5) Philip lived in the same city of Peter and Andrew, Bethsaida. Philip"s best response when asked if Jesus was the real Messiah, was "come and see" for yourself.

6) Bartholomew also called Nathanael, "the Israelite with no guile". Nathanael was from Cana and tradition says it was Nathanael who was the bridegroom at the wedding of Cana.

7) Matthew, son of Alphaeus. The Tax collector and also a rich man. He was also called Levi and hated by the Jews and called Matthew the publican which meant to the Jews that he was a worthless man.

8) Thomas, sometimes called Didymus which signifies he had a twin. Thomas is often seen as the doubter.

9) James, son of Alphaeus but not considered to be the brother of Matthew. Probably a cousin or at least a kinsman of the Lord Jesus.

Called James the less probably because he was short.

Some believe that Mary had another sister named Mary or Miriam and it was she that was married to this Alphaeus.

The Bible also says that Mary herself had a son named James and a son named Joses and one named Jude and a son named Simon, along with some other children.

10) Simon called Zelotes. Also called Simon the Canaanite. Before he was called by the Lord he was a member of a fanatical sect of religionists, that we may even say was a terrorist in our day.

11) Judas the brother of James the Less. Also called Lebbeus, whose surname was Thaddeus.

12) Judas Iscariot, the traitor. Judas the man from Kerioth, also had a father named Simon.

Jesus chose men from all walks of life and a lot can be said about Judas Iscariot but the main thing we see is that God will give everyone a chance to repent even when He knows they will not.

No one that faces the Lord on Judgment Day, can say they did not get a fair chance.

Everyone that ended up in Hell and that will end up there, had to stumble over Jesus Christ to get there!

Rom 1:19  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

There will be no excuses accepted on Judgement Day!

Questions?

Let's Pray!

The Truth Of Christ

The Certainty Of Christ Divine Nature

Luke 2:1-38


The word divine when it pertains to Christ means the attributes of the true God.

As we study the Lord Jesus Christ we will see many prophesies that will be fulfilled.

As foretold by Jacob many years earlier:

Gen 49:10  The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

Shiloh is generally understood as being the Messiah.

The truth of this prophesy is that the sceptre had departed from Judah because Israel was under the rule of Rome with Caesar Augustus ruler as emperor.

Cyrenius was governor of Syria and Judea was included as a province of Syria.

Herod was now King of Judah.

Judea was no longer ruled by one of it's own princes. Herod was an Idumean prince a descendant of Esau.

The promised land was no longer in the hands of Israel, but in the hands of Rome.

Even the Temple was controlled by Herod.

The priests of God were no longer the ministers of God but servants of the secular world.

The scepter had most definitely departed from Judah and it was time for Shiloh to come.

The Apostle Paul said it was the fullness of times!

Eph 1:10  That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

We see that God says what He means and God means what He says!

Many more prophecies will be fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ because He is the fulfillment of God's will!

*****Luk 2:1  And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
Luk 2:2  (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
Luk 2:3  And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

We will see that taxation was used by God to fulfill His plan for the birth of the Messiah. God did not cause this taxing but God certainly made a use of it!

This emperor of Rome was arrogant enough to consider the lands and the properties seized by his military as the only part of the world worth having.

To him the world was only those lands under his control. We know that Rome never ruled the entire world at any one time!

Augustus considered himself to be a god and this was his world.

The name Augustus means "majesty".

Augustus began to rule a third of Rome in 44 BC when Julius Caesar was assassinated but had consolidated power under himself and had terminated the days of the Roman Republic around 27 BC.

Augustus Caesar ruled a mostly peaceful kingdom from 27 BC until he died in 14 AD.

He was a great builder of roads and commerce which brought on taxation and he sent out a decree throughout all the lands of Rome.

This decree caused every man to register in the place of their birth.

What had God prophesied:

Mic 5:2  But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

The scribes that reported to King Herod clearly understood this to be the truth of God:

Mat 2:5  And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,
Mat 2:6  And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

The common people of Judea clearly understood this to be true:

Joh 7:42  Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?

There can be no doubt that the hand of God was involved in this decree!

*****Luk 2:4  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
Luk 2:5  To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
Luk 2:6  And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

Despite the plans of man this taxation led to the fulfillment of the Scriptures!

The city of Nazareth was located in the area of Galilee and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem to a city of the area of Judaea.

The Scriptures make it very clear Joseph was of the lineage of David.

The Scriptures make it very clear that Mary was great with child.

The Scriptures make it very clear that Mary was still espoused to Joseph and the marriage had not taken place. Joseph and Mary had not yet consummated their marriage.

Mat 1:25  And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.

The Scriptures make it very clear that the birth of Christ would take place in Bethlehem as the days of Mary would be fulfilled during this time.

It should also be obvious that Joseph and Mary would have been in Bethlehem if not for this decree.

We can see that it is God who will overrule when it comes to His plans.

We should never forget that the salvation plan of God is His plan and He wants us to be a part of His plan and not any plan of our own or some salvation plan concocted by some other human!

King David had been born in Bethlehem and therefore it was necessary that the Son of David be born in Bethlehem.

And Jesus was so born.

*****Luk 2:7  And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Prophesy was fulfilled:

Isa 7:14  Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

Immanuel still means "God With Us"!

God had left the riches and the glories of Heaven to be born in a smelly stable.

God was laid in in a feeding trough, a manger.

Even in His humble beginning the Messiah was rejected by mankind. There was no room for Him then and there is no room for Jesus in our world today as He is still rejected as the Messiah by most of this world.

Even if someone had cared for a young mother, room should have been made for her but even that was not the case.

Kind of reminds us of our world today that ignore the needs of young mothers and entice them into abortion!

The Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ was born in poverty.

If Joseph had any money he could have gotten a room.

God intended that this His birth take place away from people, all alone. It was this young mother who had just given birth to this child that wrapped baby Jesus up in those swaddling clothes.

It was Mary who laid baby Jesus in that feed trough and not on the ground.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was born into a corrupt world full of sin, full of selfishness, full of greed, and full of unkindness.

We see an innkeeper was so caught up in worldly things that he would not even help a young mother about to bare a child!

On a sad note, we can see that all the world missed the first coming of Christ when it was totally unnecessary.

And many will miss the second coming of Christ to get His church when it is also completely unnecessary!

Luk 21:34  And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

It was the angels that told the world that a Savior had been born.

*****Luk 2:9  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
Luk 2:10  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
Luk 2:11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
Luk 2:12  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

It was an angel that informed the world that a Savior had been born but he did not go to the King or to any ruler but to these lowly shepherds.

Bethlehem-Ephratah was a place that provided many of the sheep for the sacrifices of the Temple.

Bethlehem-Ephratah would also be the place to provide the sacrifice of Jehovah, the perfect Lamb of God!

Many people reject the idea that angels would even appear to shepherds because shepherds could seldom be found worshiping God.

The job of the shepherd was 7 days a week.

The reputation of a shepherd was lowly and the religious people of that day snubbed them and mostly ignored them.

This Scripture also leads us to believe that the birth of Christ was not in December as is celebrated in our day but the fact remains that our Savior was born just as the Bible says.

Shepherds were despised because they were unable to attend services at the Temple and they could not keep the oral laws of the Pharisees and the ceremonial laws of washing and cleansing.

The truth of the Scriptures is that God first gave the "good news" to those that most all the world considered to be sinners.

In fact the "Shekinah Glory" of God had at last returned to this earth!

Isa 59:20  And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.
Isa 59:21  As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever.
Isa 60:1  Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
Isa 60:2  For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.
Isa 60:3  And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.

Isa 40:5  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

The angel proclaimed the birth of the Messiah.

The angel encouraged the shepherds to to visit the baby Jesus.

The angle gave these shepherds a sign they would find our Savior wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

God's message has always been that He came to save sinners:

Luk 5:31  And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.
Luk 5:32  I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

So the first announcement of His coming was given to sinners!

Joh 1:14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Jesus was born at the exact right time and the exact right place to fulfill all the Word of God!

Jesus was not born to become our Savior, Jesus was born our Savior!

Jesus is Christ the Lord!

Jesus is the Anointed of Jehovah!

The title "Christ" means the union of the two natures of Jesus, His Divine nature and His human nature!

The God-Man!

Eph 1:22  And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church,
Eph 1:23  Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

And suddenly there was an angelic host.

*****Luk 2:13  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
Luk 2:14  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Suddenly there was a multitude of angels that joined with the angel that gave the message to these shepherds.

The Bible says that there are more angels than we have the ability to count.

Daniel said these words:

Dan 7:10  A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him: thousand thousands ministered unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him: the judgment was set, and the books were opened.

That word "host" means an army of angels.

God gave these lowly shepherds a peek into the spiritual world.

These angels did two things.

1) They cried out giving glory to the God that made them.

2) They cried out in peace and goodwill for all mankind.

Peace can only come to those who are reconciled to God.

God knew that the problem of sin needed to be solved not temporarily but permanently!

The only way to solve this human problem was the birth of our Savior, according to the Scriptures.

Dan 9:25  Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

Joh 4:25  The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things.
Joh 4:26  Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

Isa 9:6  For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isa 9:7  Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

The Lord Jesus Christ would be born exactly as the Scripture had said!

It was choice time for these lowly shepherds. Would they believe what this angel had said or not?

*****Luk 2:15  And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

We see that these shepherds did believe.

We see that they immediately decided to go into Bethlehem. They even felt an urgency to go!

We see they did believe these angels were the messengers of God because the Lord had made this thing known to them and they went with haste.

*****Luk 2:16  And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
Luk 2:17  And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
Luk 2:18  And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

They went with haste and they found that things were just as the angel had told them.

They found Mary and Joseph.

They found the Lord, the Messiah, wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.

When they had seen the truth they began to tell others what the angel and said and the signs they had seen.

They had been spoken to by God's messenger.

They had witnessed the heavenly host.

They had seen the Shekinah Glory of God and Heavens bright glory.

They had found the babe just as the angel had said, lying in a manger.

They certainly had much to tell others!

A simple carpenter and a carpenter's wife had brought forth the Savior.

They certainly had some "good news"!

But Mary weighed all the things in her mind of all she had seen and all she had been told by the angel Gabriel.

*****Luk 2:19  But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

This young mother had witnessed the awesome power of her God.

Mary realized that this babe she had so carefully laid in a manger was not only a child that would depend on her for his nourishment but this babe was also the awesome God who had performed all the things she had witnessed.

Mary had given birth to the Messiah!

Mary, not much more than a child herself, still had never known a man, was still unmarried by the laws of the Jews, had suffered through the rumors that had been told of her.

She had suffered the doubt of Joseph and her parents, the tiring trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the smelly stable, a visit from some shepherds who told her an amazing story of angels proclaiming the glory of God, and she could only sit down and absorb all that had happened to her.

All Mary could do was to remain her humble self, and trust God, for God was in control of these things and she was only a vessel to be used by Him!

The Bible says:

1Pe 3:4  But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

But those shepherds could not remain quiet.

*****Luk 2:20  And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

These shepherds who had not taken the time to get close to the Lord all their days, now left to go back to their flocks praising God.

The truth is if you ever meet the Savior, you will leave a change person!

These shepherds also found that what God said He would do, would then come to pass!

These shepherds realized that they had seen the Savior!

God had spoken.

They had received His message.

They obeyed and they met the Messiah.

The promised Savior had now been born!

They certainly had reason to praise God!

The day that Jesus Christ was born into this earth was the beginning of a new day in the history of this world!

Christianity is positive truth because it is based on historical facts from Moses to Jesus Christ, from Christ to the last Church Age and then on to eternity.

All those that become born to Jesus Christ will all become new creatures in a new world!

2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
2Co 5:18  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
2Co 5:19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

The days of Jesus on this earth then proceeded to pass by.

*****Luk 2:21  And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

Circumcision was a sign of the Abrahamic Covenant.

Circumcision was the seal of the "gospel covenant" made by God with Abraham and was a covenant of faith!

We know that to Moses, God had made a covenant of works which was not a legal covenant.

Jesus taught the Jews with these words:

Joh 8:39  They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham's children, ye would do the works of Abraham.

As science has now proven, it is on the eighth day that the coagulant in the blood of an infant normally reach their optimum effectiveness, but God knew this all along.

Jesus Christ was circumcised to fulfill the law.

Gal 4:4  But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
Gal 4:5  To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
Gal 4:6  And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Gal 4:7  Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

The Messiah was then named Jesus, which means "Savior".

It had been the angel Gabriel who had the instruction to name the babe Jesus.

Mat 1:21  And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.
Mat 1:22  Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
Mat 1:23  Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

This thing was done in Bethlehem because Mary could not go to the Temple until she went through her time of purification.

*****Luk 2:22  And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;
Luk 2:23  (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord;)

First Mary had to observe the 7 days of uncleanness:

Lev 12:2  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.

Then before Mary could offer Jesus to the Lord, she had to observe 33 days of purification.

Lev 12:4  And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.

Only after these 40 days were properly observed could Mary present her son Jesus to the Lord and bring a sacrifice for a burnt offering.

Lev 12:6  And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:

It is the burnt offering that signified God's acceptance of the offerer, Mary, in anticipation of the shed blood of Jesus.

Eph 1:5  Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
Eph 1:6  To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
Eph 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

This was the ceremony of dedication of the child to the Lord.

A male child was presented in the Temple when the family was close to Jerusalem.

The Lord Jesus was subject to all the legal requirements of the law because, He was made of woman under the law! (Gal 4:4)

The Lord Jesus was subject to all the legal requirements of the law because, he was made like unto His brethren.

Heb 2:17  Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18  For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

The Lord Jesus said He had not come to destroy the law but only to fulfill the law.

Mat 5:17  Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.
Mat 5:18  For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Then Jesus said the law was fulfilled with love:

Mat 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment.
Mat 22:39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Mat 22:40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Just how poor were Joseph and Mary?

Joseph despite being of royal lineage was a very poor man!

*****Luk 2:24  And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

What we see is that it was a deliberate choice of God to have a poor family bear His Son!

2Co 8:9  For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

The proper offering was a lamb for a burnt offering and a pigeon or a dove for a sin offering.

The poor were allowed to bring a second pigeon or dove!

We see that no matter our circumstances in this life, Christ Jesus has already gone through that thing, even poverty!

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

The Lord Jesus Christ can relate to any problem that comes upon us.

Even while the dedication of the Lord was taking place we see that God was still working in other lives.

*****Luk 2:25  And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
Luk 2:26  And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.
Luk 2:27  And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

We meet Simeon who was a just and devout man.

Just means he was righteous, Simeon did things the right way!

Devout means that Simeon and a reverent fear of the Lord.

Simeon had developed a personal relationship with the Lord!

Simeon knew it was possible for the Messiah to come in his own lifetime, in fact according to the prophet Daniel the Messiah was due at any moment.

This is also true for the Second Coming of Christ!

Simeon found consolation in the baby Jesus!

The truth is there is no other place and no other being where consolation can be found but Christ Jesus!

Simeon was a man led by the Holy Spirit!

Because Simeon walked so close to the Lord, Simeon was given a special promise.

At some point the Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die until he had seen the Messiah.

Great things happen to those who trust in the Lord!

The Holy Spirit led Simeon to the Temple so that promise could be fulfilled.

If we follow the lead of the Holy Spirit, He will always lead us to Jesus, who is the answer to every prayer!

Simeon became one of the few humans that were given the privilege of holding God in his own arms!

If your name is written down in the Lamb's Book of Life, then you to will one day come face to face with the Lord God Almighty!

*****Luk 2:28  Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,
Luk 2:29  Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:
Luk 2:30  For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,
Luk 2:31  Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;
Luk 2:32  A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

Abraham told Isaac that "God would provide Himself a Lamb" and that fulfillment was in Jesus Christ!

All the prophets looked forward to this day!

Simeon did not hesitate, he knew for certain his Savior and once he had embraced his Savior who would be the source of true peace to the entire world.

Joh 14:27  Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

This child of God was especially prepared to be God's Savior!

Act 2:23  Him, "being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God", ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
Act 2:24  Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.

Simeon confessed that the child Jesus is God's salvation.

In order to know the salvation of God we must all confess, "before men", that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of God's salvation plan through whom God will save the world.

1Jn 4:15  Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is not only the Savior of Israel but also to the Gentiles.

Gentiles are all those who are not Jews!

Jesus Christ came to be the Light of the entire world!

Jesus Christ is God's method to reveal the Revelation of God, to reveal the truth, the way, and the life to all men!

Joh 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus Christ is the glory of Israel!

In fact Jesus Christ is the glory of all people no matter their nationality!

Isa 45:25  In the LORD shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shall glory.

Rom 2:10  But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
Rom 2:11  For there is no respect of persons with God.

And Joseph and Mary marvelled at those things which were spoken of Him!

Joseph and Mary both had been told many things about Jesus and all things would prove to be true but they marvelled that a total stranger whom they had never met could say all these things.

Many of these things were to give this young family strength for those days ahead.

*****Luk 2:34  And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against;
Luk 2:35  (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

There are 4 signs associated with the birth of Christ Jesus.

1) The sign of the virgin birth. (Isa 7:14)

2) The sign of the guiding star. (Matt 2:2)

3) The sign of the swaddling clothes. (Luk 2:12)

4) The sign of the stumbling stone.

The Lord Jesus in Scripture was to be the "stone of stumbling" but also the "chief cornerstone"!

We know that many of those in our world choose a path other than God and they will stumble and fall over Jesus Christ because He is the only pathway to God!

We also know that many have risen to the truth and have realized the it is Jesus Christ who is the only cornerstone of salvation!

Mat 7:13  Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
Mat 7:14  Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Jesus Christ causes each and everyone of us to make a choice!

The truth is that Jesus Christ has always been opposed and we know He was eventually murdered.

Jesus Christ was first a sign of God's love!

Jesus Christ will soon return to bring God's judgment!

Most of mankind do not want that kind of God, they simply want a God they can put on a shelf and take Him down as they please in times of trouble.

Mankind wants only a God whose love will endure all our sins with no repercussions.

They do not want a God who requires sacrificial love!

Mankind simply wants a license to sin and not a God who makes demands of righteousness!

The truth is, a sword pierced the soul of Mary the day the Lord Jesus sacrificed Himself in order that we can live.

The cross brought pain to the loving mother of Christ Jesus, while the death of Christ was to reveal all the thoughts in each man's heart!

Mankind either sees the love of God and surrenders to the "Grace" of God or he will look upon the cross as something repulsive.

All mankind's greatest struggle is to admit that we are all a sinful people!

Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

And then came Anna.

*****Luk 2:36  And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity;
Luk 2:37  And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
Luk 2:38  And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

Nothing is known of Anna except what we read in these Scripture.

It seems that Anna became a prophetess this very day she met the Lord Jesus Christ.

She also had been a virgin before her marriage which lasted only 7 years.

From that time forward Anna had remained a servant of God.

Anna had never lost hope all her 84 years of age.

She still believed and she never remarried but she still waited on the Messiah.

Anna never ceased to worship, night or day!

Anna was a woman to whom her God meant everything!

Anna also knew the child Jesus instantly and gave thanks that she had seen Him and she began to witness to all those that sought redemption and came to the Temple.

Salvation was not in the Temple, salvation is in the Lord Jesus Christ, the God of the Temple.

God says:

Psa 107:2  Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

We will never get to hold the baby Jesus in our arms as did Simeon but we all once we have a personal relationship with the Lord are to proclaim His name!

The truth is God uses ordinary people in His plan of salvation.

God does not want us to make our own plans of salvation, God just wants us to be a part of His plan!

Questions?

Let's Pray!