Thursday - Act On It - The Night That Changed The Religious
We’ve mostly looked at one prophecy or prediction about Jesus this week, about his virgin birth and being God in the flesh (incarnate). But Jesus fit many other predictions as well, some of them relating to his birth.
He was born in Bethlehem
Micah 5:2. But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. Micah 5:2 ESV)
He was a refugee in Egypt.
Hosea 11:1 11 When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.
Together, they all form one picture.
The rightful king of Israel is God himself, he’s come to earth to fulfill the promise that Abraham’s descendents would bless the entire world. Jesus is a descendent of Abraham and King David. Jesus did this in dying for the entire world’s sins, and reigns now over his kingdom, which is coming in its fullness.
God has come to us, when we couldn’t get to him.
God has given us the gift of grace, when we have nothing to offer but thanks.
This is most challenging to religious people, because we can become accustomed to knowing about God at a distance, and the systems and codes we put in place for this all get thrown out when God shows up in person, and Knowing About God shifts to simply Knowing God.
Challenge: How can you and/or family focus on this central meaning of Christmas? Advent is the traditional time for the time before Christmas when Christians prepare themselves to truly enter into the story.
We’ll provide some Advent resources here you might use for you or your family:
Jesus said, "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
If the Sermon on the Mount was just about a list of rules for us this would be discouraging, hopeless. But it's not. It's about Jesus - his blueprint for his life - showing us what God is really like.
We are meant to see that Jesus looks like God. It's not just about how to behave, but how to discover the living God in Jesus, and reflect that into the world.
He is the pattern, blueprint for our lives as well.
Perfect in greek is teleioi. A word about Identity, where perfection relates to love. God is love…all loving.
Some scholars say "all embracing" is what that perfect word means.
To be like God is undiscriminating and undifferentiating love toward all. Even those who don’t deserve it. He’s loving and merciful.
Of course love doesn’t mean endorsement, or uncaringly saying “I don’t care what you do”. Sometimes God’s love means he protects us, stops us, redirects us, and more.
We show we are children of God when we show Christlikeness. All embracing love.
Connection back to love last week - Love is not sporadic, but who we are. Even with enemies.
"To return evil for good is devilish, to return good for good is human, to return good for evil is divine." - Alfred Plummer
Even with Jesus' example, we can be discouraged. He WAS God, so being godly was no great feat. What about us?
We'll see tomorrow why there is hope for us being perfect(ed).
Question: Jesus actually lived the perfect, loving life he commands us to live. Does this encourage, or discourage you? Why?
