..and then in a borrowed tomb ..temporarily.
Born to live here (as thee good Example, yes, as God the Son from all eternity past). Born to teach us solid truth and how to wisely apply it. Born to die (in my place and in yours) and to live again.. that Christ and what Christmas is about. The Bible says,
"The people who walk in darkness
will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
a light will shine.
You will enlarge the nation of Israel,
and its people will rejoice.
They will rejoice before you
as people rejoice at the harvest
and like warriors dividing the plunder.
For you will break the yoke of their slavery
and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders.
You will break the oppressor’s rod,
just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.
The boots of the warrior
and the uniforms bloodstained by war
will all be burned.
They will be fuel for the fire.
For a child is born to us,
a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace
will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies
will make this happen!" Isaiah 9:2 (this child = mighty God. I've been collecting Christmas verses related to soul-winning below).
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| Photo by Gareth Harper |
“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.” Luke 2:7
'When the Eternal bows the skies
To visit earthly things,
With scorn divine he turns his eyes
From towers of haughty kings.
He bids his awful chariot roll
Far downward from the skies,
To visit every humble soul
With pleasure in his eyes.'
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| Photo by Josh Harrison |
I say we make room for Him here and now.
The Saviour promised long;
Let every heart prepare a throne
And every voice a song.”
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| Photo by Joanna Kosinska |
At the cross so to speak a fallen human being can gain the clear understanding that is the result of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at conversion (1 Corinthians 12:13; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13-14).
Was Jesus forsaken by His Father? No, never was. Jesus (like His Father) always remains a faithful loving companion to His own, a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
Did God the Father distance Himself from His own Son Jesus while Christ was dying on the cross? Nope. Did it more than likely feel like the Father forsook Him? I think it really did.
Now compare Matt. 27:46, Mrk. 15:24, Ps. 22:24, Jn. 8:29 & Jn. 16:32.
God the Father did NOT forsake Jesus while He was on the cross. And God won't forsake you, believer.
It was the moment when He was dying for the sins of the world, and He was describing what was happening: God the Father turned His holy face away and poured the sins of all humanity on His son, who had never committed a single sin. So Jesus cried out in anguish. Was Jesus forsaken so that we might be forgiven?.. He died that we might be.
Notice that Jesus said, “My God, My God,” which means that Jesus was crying out to the Father. In faith you and I can do the same when we’re in pain. When we’re hurting, grieving, mourning, troubled.. we should pray earnestly. We should pray when we’re happy too, when we’re sad, and when we feel confused. We should pray when we have complaints.
The Bible tells us, “Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms” (James 5:13 nkjv).
"For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hidden his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.." See Psalm 22 in context, verses 1-24 esv
Q: What does it NOT mean -- “God made Him (Jesus) who had no sin to be sin for us"?
- This does not mean that Jesus actually became sin itself. To posit such a theory denies all of Scripture, which clearly presents Jesus Christ as the One in whom there is no sin (1 John 3:5), who commits no sin (1 Peter 2:22), and who is holy, blameless, and pure (Mark 1:24; Acts 3:14; Revelation 3:7). For Jesus to “become” sin, even for a moment, would mean He ceased to be God.
- This does not mean that He became a sinner, not even for a moment. Jesus to this day is the wretched Friend of sinners like me. When Christ suffered in our place and died for us, He bore the punishment for our sins in His own body (1 Peter 2:24). But Jesus at no time became a sinner. He's still the Savior.
- This does not mean He was guilty of committing any sin. No one is truly guilty who has not transgressed the law of God, which Jesus never did. If He were guilty of sinning, then He would have deserved to die, but He did not deserve death on Calvary's cross. Even the religious Pharisees who were dead inside sent Jesus to the cross knowing that He was totally guiltless: “And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed” (Acts 13:28).
Jesus became sin for us, but that does not at all mean that Jesus was sin..ever, or evil, or a sinner, or even guilty of any sin.
Please muse on the second part of 2 Corinthians 5:21. It was: “So that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” That's all about imputation. You know how to impute something means to ascribe or attribute it to someone. On the cross, our own sin (yours and mine) was imputed to Christ and that's how Christ paid in full for our sin debt to God the Father.
"For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ." 2 Corinthians 5:21 nlt
How holy is God? He's HOLY, HOLY, HOLY! Please read the book of Habakkuk! The prophet says to God, “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil” (Habakkuk 1:13, csb). What does that not mean? It doesn't mean that God must close His eyes or turn His back when people start to sin (he sees us and knows what we think, say and do). It is, rather, a recognition of God’s righteous character, and contextually, it's part of a larger discussion really.. of God’s personal methods in dealing with sin.
What about the sins that were placed on Jesus at the time when He died on the cross?
Did God the Father glance away when they were laid on Him?
Did the Father forsake His own Son Jesus? No, and the union with Jesus was not broken.
"He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness]." 2 Corinthians 5:21 amp
Simply put, without Jesus’ death on the cross for our sins, no one would have eternal life. Jesus Himself said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). He's the only way into God's holy Heaven.
Jesus said, “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it” (Matthew 7:13–14 nlt).
God said, “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!” (Deuteronomy 30:19 nlt).
Not only does God the Father tell us what our options are, but He also gives us the answer.. "Choose life." But remember, it is a choice. God offers it as a gift.
Many Americans miss it by thinking that, since Christ died for the sins of the world, everyone will go to heaven one day. This is incorrect. The atoning substitutionary death of Christ must be personally applied to each heart, in much the same way that the blood of the Passover had to be personally applied to the door (John 1:12; 3:16-18; Acts 2:38). Before we can become “the righteousness of God in Him,” we must exchange our old sin nature for His holy one. , but we must receive that Substitute personally by accepting Christ in faith (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Luke 19:10 "The Son of Man has come to seek and to save people who are lost"
Matthew 1:20-25 amp "But after he (Joseph) had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, 'Joseph, descendant of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. *21 She will give birth to a Son, and you shall name Him Jesus (The LORD is salvation), for He will save His people from their sins.” 22 All this happened in order to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet Isaiah: BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND GIVE BIRTH TO A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL”--which, when translated, means, “GOD WITH US.” 24 Then Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him, and he took Mary to his home as his wife, but he kept her a virgin until she had given birth to a Son [her firstborn child; and he named Him Jesus (The LORD is salvation)."
Galatians 4:4-5 "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons."
Zechariah 9:9 (nkjv) "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey."
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
John 8:42 "Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me.'"
Matthew 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.”
*Matthew 2:11 “After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” (Gold cuz Christ is King of Kings. Frankincense cuz Christ is our High Priest. Myrrh a perfume, cuz it was used to anoint dead bodies, typifying Jesus' death to save us from our sins)
Titus 3:4-5 "But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy."
Philippians 2:8-10 “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth.”
Titus 2:11 “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people.”
Galatians 4:4-5 "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons."
Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
"For this is the way God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." (net Bible) God made a promise and kept it. LOVE keeps promises. I run out and ask for more love.
Titus 3:3-7 (niv) At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life."
John 1:12-13 "But to all who have received him -- those who believe in his name -- he has given the right to become God’s children -- children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God."
Luke 2:13-17 "Suddenly a vast, heavenly army appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among people with whom he is pleased!' When the angels left them and went back to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, 'Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, that the Lord has made known to us.' So they hurried off and located Mary and Joseph, and found the baby lying in a manger. When they saw him, they related what they had been told about this child.."
Matthew 11:28-29 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
Titus 3:4-7 “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”
James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
Timothy 1:15-17 “Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.”
Luke 2:11 “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.”
2:10-12 “But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for ALL the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.'”
Luke 2:17-18 "When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them."
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
