December 29th 2024
Jesus Promised All Believers, “I Will Come Back And Take You To Be With Me That You Also May Be Where I Am!”
Matthew 1:21 (NIV)
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
Joseph was having second thoughts about fulfilling his betrothal commitments to take Mary as his wife as she was pregnant, and he knew he was not the father. So, God sent an angel to explain to Joseph how this came about. All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us." When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. (Matthew 1:22-24).
The monumental aspect of this simple account recorded for believers is captured in the selected verse that this baby was going to be born by a young woman who was still a virgin, which of course is biologically impossible, but was also necessary to fulfil what was also prophesied! God also planned this baby to be the fulfillment of the need for a perfect sacrifice required by God to allow the forgiveness of all sins to all those who would come to believe this fulfilment story! This is the gift of God to mankind and thus started the idea of gift giving to celebrate each year!
Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ at this time every year, and thus we greet each other with the term Merry Christmas. People who do not believe that this Jesus person was sent by God the Father to this earth as a Savior but just a human male, will often still participate in the fun aspects of this time of celebration have come up with other greetings, such as Happy Holidays, or they may write the term as Merry Xmas. What term have you been using during this season of celebration?
The Jews were expecting the coming of their Messiah who would likely become a military leader to free them from the Romans, and put them back into a powerful nation, since they believed they were the chosen people of God! Although the Gentiles or non-Jews were mentioned as candidates for salvation through the coming of the Messiah in Isaiah. One of the first references to the Gentile inclusion in the New Testament appears in Luke’s Gospel. Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2:28-32).
When someone dwells on the fact that Jesus appeared to be 100% human, then they may find it difficult, if not impossible, to also believe He is also 100% God! The people who were neighbors of His family where He grew up had some problem seeing Him as some form of the God they worshipped! The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. "Isn’t this Joseph’s son?" they asked. Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your home town what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’" "I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his home town.” (Luke 4:17-23).
These people who lived near, associated with Jesus, and viewed Him as the son of Joseph and Mary and He worked as a carpenter. So, when He was claiming to be the fulfillment of some prophecy they were confused, and then some of them became angry, as they believed He was lying to them. Some of them wanted to harm Him, and their violent nature caused their neighbors to take on mob violence causing them to join in the plot to kill Jesus. All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way. (Luke 4:28-30). Since it was not yet the time or place for Him to be the perfect sacrifice, He miraculously just walked away from the now violent mob!
Today, there are many people who do not believe Jesus Christ came into this world to become this perfect sacrifice God required to offer salvation to everyone who can accept Jesus’ miraculous life being brought into this cursed world to offer the only means for mankind to be acceptable to enter the Paradise of God when they die in this cursed world!
While Jesus still walked this earth, He told His disciples about this wonderful free gift of salvation, if you believe He is who He says He is. Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:2-6).
Jesus promised all believers, “I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am!” Jesus offers the Way the truth, and the Life! Jesus is the only Way!
Praying for you and your loved ones to have a
Happy New Year!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Matthew 1:21 (NIV)
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins."
Joseph was having second thoughts about fulfilling his betrothal commitments to take Mary as his wife as she was pregnant, and he knew he was not the father. So, God sent an angel to explain to Joseph how this came about. All this took place to fulfil what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us." When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. (Matthew 1:22-24).
The monumental aspect of this simple account recorded for believers is captured in the selected verse that this baby was going to be born by a young woman who was still a virgin, which of course is biologically impossible, but was also necessary to fulfil what was also prophesied! God also planned this baby to be the fulfillment of the need for a perfect sacrifice required by God to allow the forgiveness of all sins to all those who would come to believe this fulfilment story! This is the gift of God to mankind and thus started the idea of gift giving to celebrate each year!
Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ at this time every year, and thus we greet each other with the term Merry Christmas. People who do not believe that this Jesus person was sent by God the Father to this earth as a Savior but just a human male, will often still participate in the fun aspects of this time of celebration have come up with other greetings, such as Happy Holidays, or they may write the term as Merry Xmas. What term have you been using during this season of celebration?
The Jews were expecting the coming of their Messiah who would likely become a military leader to free them from the Romans, and put them back into a powerful nation, since they believed they were the chosen people of God! Although the Gentiles or non-Jews were mentioned as candidates for salvation through the coming of the Messiah in Isaiah. One of the first references to the Gentile inclusion in the New Testament appears in Luke’s Gospel. Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” (Luke 2:28-32).
When someone dwells on the fact that Jesus appeared to be 100% human, then they may find it difficult, if not impossible, to also believe He is also 100% God! The people who were neighbors of His family where He grew up had some problem seeing Him as some form of the God they worshipped! The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor." Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. "Isn’t this Joseph’s son?" they asked. Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your home town what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’" "I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his home town.” (Luke 4:17-23).
These people who lived near, associated with Jesus, and viewed Him as the son of Joseph and Mary and He worked as a carpenter. So, when He was claiming to be the fulfillment of some prophecy they were confused, and then some of them became angry, as they believed He was lying to them. Some of them wanted to harm Him, and their violent nature caused their neighbors to take on mob violence causing them to join in the plot to kill Jesus. All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way. (Luke 4:28-30). Since it was not yet the time or place for Him to be the perfect sacrifice, He miraculously just walked away from the now violent mob!
Today, there are many people who do not believe Jesus Christ came into this world to become this perfect sacrifice God required to offer salvation to everyone who can accept Jesus’ miraculous life being brought into this cursed world to offer the only means for mankind to be acceptable to enter the Paradise of God when they die in this cursed world!
While Jesus still walked this earth, He told His disciples about this wonderful free gift of salvation, if you believe He is who He says He is. Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No-one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:2-6).
Jesus promised all believers, “I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am!” Jesus offers the Way the truth, and the Life! Jesus is the only Way!
Praying for you and your loved ones to have a
Happy New Year!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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