Bible Study - Looking Forward (5) - Looking Forward in Worship - Matthew 2:1-11, 16-18 - December 29, 2024

 

Bible Study – Looking Forward (5) – Looking Forward in Worship – December 29, 2024

JESUS is LORD and HE deserves our worship.

Our focus scripture is Matthew 2:1-11, 16-18.

What do you think when you consider JESUS? Was HE an imposter?

Or the true Son of GOD?

Let’s read Matthew 2:1-2:

Wise Men Visit the King

2 After Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of King Herod, wise men from the east arrived in Jerusalem, ² saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star at its rising and have come to worship him.”^[a]

Who were these wise men, astrologers, or astronomers? They were both and their legacy goes back to Daniel. We think of three wise men because of the three gifts but there could have been more.

What I write next in no way endorses today’s meaning of astrology.

We read in Genesis 1:14 - And God said, "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years."

The wise men in Matthew 2 came from the East of Jerusalem, which referred to Persia and Arabia. God caught the attention of these astrologers with a special star signifying both the birth of the King of the Jews and His specific location in Bethlehem. The significance of this is found in the following scripture.

Psalm 72:10-11

10 The kings of Tarshish [Persia] and of the isles shall bring presents: the kings of Sheba [Southwest Arabia] and Seba shall offer gifts. 11 Yea, all kings shall fall down before him: all nations shall serve him.

Let’s read Matthew 2:3-6:

³ When King Herod heard this, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. ⁴ So he assembled all the chief priests and scribes of the people and asked them where the Messiah would be born.

⁵ “In Bethlehem of Judea,” they told him, “Because this is what was written by the prophet:

⁶ And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the rulers of Judah:
Because out of you will come a ruler
who will shepherd my people Israel.”^[b]

The Flight into Egypt

¹³ After they were gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Get up! Take the child and his mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I tell you. For Herod is about to search for the child to kill him.” ¹⁴ So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night, and escaped to Egypt. ¹⁵ He stayed there until Herod’s death, so that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled: Out of Egypt I called my Son.^[e]

 

Let’s read Matthew 2:7-8, 16-18:

⁷ Then Herod secretly summoned the wise men and asked them the exact time the star appeared. ⁸ He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. When you find him, report back to me so that I too can go and worship him.”^[c]

The Massacre of the Innocents

¹⁶ Then Herod, when he realized that he had been outwitted by the wise men, flew into a rage. He gave orders to massacre all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under; in keeping with the time, he had learned from the wise men. ¹⁷ Then what was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled:

¹⁸ A voice was heard in Ramah,

weeping,^[f] and great mourning,
Rachel weeping for her children;
and she refused to be consoled,
because they are no more.^[g]

Let’s read Matthew 2:9-12:

⁹ After hearing the king, they went on their way. And there it was—the star they had seen at its rising. It led them until it came and stopped above the place where the child was. ¹⁰ When they saw the star, they were overwhelmed with joy. ¹¹ Entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and falling to their knees, they worshiped him.^[d] Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ¹² And being warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their own country by another route.

Notice by this time in verse 11, Mary, Joseph and JESUS had relocated to a house in Bethlehem.

Some Bible scholars believe that JESUS was 2 years old because of the King’s orders in verse 16.

This is an interesting read regarding Daniel.

Daniel’s Influence on the Magi 

Scriptures Available through Daniel to the Wise Men (Notice the caveats of reasonable speculations. This is not written as an absolute but to give us something to pray about and ponder and see the Hand of GOD at work.)

First let’s consider Daniel and his GOD given gifts, which could only come from GOD as we read in Daniel 5:1,5-12:

5:1: King Belshazzar held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine in their presence.

The Handwriting on the Wall

^5:5: At that moment, the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the king’s palace wall next to the lampstand. As the king watched the hand^[d] that was writing, ⁶ his face turned pale,^[e] and his thoughts so terrified him that he soiled himself^[f] and his knees knocked together. ⁷ The king shouted to bring in the mediums, Chaldeans, and diviners. He said to these wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this inscription and gives me its interpretation will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around his neck, and have the third highest position in the kingdom.” ⁸ So all the king’s wise men came in, but none could read the inscription or make its interpretation known to him. ⁹ Then King Belshazzar became even more terrified, his face turned pale,^[g] and his nobles were bewildered.

¹⁰ Because of the outcry of the king and his nobles, the queen^[h] came to the banquet hall. “May the king live forever,” she said. “Don’t let your thoughts terrify you or your face be pale.^[i] 11 There is a man in your kingdom who has a spirit of the holy gods in him. In the days of your predecessor, he was found to have insight, intelligence, and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods. Your predecessor, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, mediums, Chaldeans, and diviners. Your own predecessor, the king, ¹² did this because Daniel, the one the king named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and intelligence, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve problems.^[j] Therefore, summon Daniel, and he will give the interpretation.”

GOD Is all knowing and Daniel was in right relationship with GOD and revealed truth. The same is true today when we are in right relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS. GOD equips those HE chooses with certain gifts to minister.

A convincing case can be made that the Magi were students of the Hebrew Scriptures. The knowledge of a future King of the Jews who was to be the Redeemer might have first come to the Magi “in the east” through the Scriptures available to them through Daniel and the other Hebrews who took their holy writings – the Old Testament up to that point (Daniel 9:2a) – with them to Babylon. Daniel was taken captive by the King of the Babylonians, Nebuchadnezzar, in his first attack on Jerusalem in 606-605 BC. At that time, he took many of the brightest young Jewish men to Babylon to be trained for service in the Babylonian court.

Because of Daniel’s God-given ability to interpret dreams and visions, he was appointed by Nebuchadnezzar (Daniel 4:9) and later by his son, Belshazzar, to be “chief of the magicians [master of the ‘Magi’], enchanters, astrologers, and diviners” (Daniel 5:11 NIV). Later, Daniel also served in the courts of the Medes (King Darius; Daniel 9:1) and the Persians (King Cyrus; Daniel 10:1). Daniel had a remarkable term of service in these eastern courts, service that was clearly orchestrated by God.

Daniel would likely have introduced the Magi to the one true God and shared with them the Scriptures which told of Him to whom Daniel prayed daily. After all, Daniel shared with the Kings of Babylon, Media, and Persia that his ability to interpret dreams and visions came from God. Surely, he would also have shared these things with the Magi.

In addition, Daniel might very well have shared the prophecy given in the Book of Numbers, the fourth oracle of Balaam, foretelling the coming of a Promised One: “A star will come out of Jacob; a scepter will rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17 NIV). Although this prophecy does not provide a time frame, it would have offered the invaluable insight that this “star” would come out of Judah in Israel at some future date.

Apparently, Daniel also entrusted the Messianic vision he received to this group of Magi. He would have told them – as recorded in Daniel 9:21-22 – about his visit from the angel Gabriel and the message and vision of the 70 Weeks (“week” here being a seven-year period) prophecy (Daniel 9:24-27). Contained within this prophecy was the knowledge that after 69 Weeks (69 x 7 = 483 years) “the Anointed One [the Redeemer, Jesus] will be cut off [crucified], but not for himself” (Daniel 9:26 NIV). The Magi would have therefore learned from Daniel the precise time period for this Jewish Messiah, prophesied in the Scriptures. It is not hard to imagine that Daniel later entrusted the Magi to welcome the Redeemer when He was born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2).

Over the next 500 years, these important prophecies would have been passed down among the Magi, from generation to generation. When the Magi at the time of the birth of Jesus saw what were to them unmistakable cosmic signs, their observations of the heavens and their writings would have alerted them to the birth of this prophesied Jewish Messiah. When they saw the sign, nothing could hold them back from travelling to see this King of the Jews, with their royal gifts fit for a King. And so, it was.

(Even today we anticipate the second coming of JESUS, and we eagerly look forward to HIS coming.)

And so, we worship this newborn king, JESUS, as our Savior and our ultimate goal is to make HIM not only King but also, the LORD of our lives.

Folks, this is where the rubber meets the road. Allow JESUS to rule in your life.

Many people have good intentions to go all out for JESUS but hold back for a variety of reasons. I urge you to trust GOD and through faith in JESUS, pray something like this; “Dear JESUS, I do want to be Spirit-born and to obediently serve YOU. I ask YOU to forgive me for my sins and come into my heart as my Savior. I also ask YOU to lead and guide me through the indwelling HOLY SPIRIT. I need for YOU to be to be my strength, guide, and teacher. Amen.”

The timing of GOD is exact, and the second coming of JESUS will be exact.

Blessings!!!

 

 

 

Bible Study - Looking Forward (4) - Looking Forward to Love - December 22, 2024

Bible Study – Looking Forward (4) – Looking Forward to Love – December 22, 2024

We can know the love of GOD because of JESUS’S sacrifice.

John 15:13 - ¹³ No one has greater love than this: to lay down his life for his friends.

John 15:15:
I do not call you servants anymore, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have heard from my Father.

When we love people, we want to do something special for them. It may be baking a beautiful, nutritious cake we know that they need and will enjoy. All the ingredients are mixed and poured into cake pans and then placed into the oven to bake. Once the cake layers are baked, they are assembled and decorated. The baker looks at it and thinks perfection. How delicious it is going to be. The cake arrives and after warm greetings the baker reveals this beautiful cake. Time goes by and the baker asks, “When are we going to cut my cake?” Oh, do we say, this is only to look at and enjoy its beauty?

NO! We say, let’s check it out, cut the cake, and give the baker the first slice. The baker approves and all our guests join in and enjoy the cake.

The event of GOD sending HIS ONLY SON to earth was a once in a lifetime event. GOD’S only SON willingly came to earth for a specific purpose. HIS purpose was to live as 100% human and to be tempted as all humans are tempted. HE was to remain sinless! WOW!!! JESUS willingly left HIS home in Glory and came to earth to live. HE had to be born 100% Human, yet GOD.

Keep in mind that JESUS makes up the Trinity – GOD, THE FATHER, GOD, THE SON and GOD, THE HOLY SPIRIT.

When I consider the Trinity, if I ask any WHO makes up Trinity a question, I will get the same answer.

The purpose of JESUS is to be the perfect acceptable sacrifice to GOD for the sin of all humans, provided they accept their Savior. JESUS was tempted in all ways as humans are tempted, yet HE did not sin. Yet, HE gave HIS sinless life on the cross by the shedding of HIS blood.

Why was this important? In Hebrews 9:22 - ²² According to the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.

The law requires the shedding of blood. JESUS fulfilled the Law and as a result, when JESUS atoned for sin, HE established Grace!

The Law is rigid. However, GOD’S Grace through the passion of JESUS (HIS Life, physical death, physical resurrection, physical ascension into Heaven) was and is GOD’S redemptive plan for all who will accept it.

Some may think, “I have my own plan.” Ok, then Hell is your destination when you reject JESUS as your Savior.

JESUS was born, as all human babies are born with two exceptions; HIS Mother was a virgin, and JESUS was conceived by the Divine Sperm of GOD/The Holy Spirit. Thus, the true One and Only SON of GOD.

Do you believe that the Holy Spirit conceived JESUS?

If your reply is yes, that miracle is a foreshadow of our own, Spiritual birth. When we ask JESUS to forgive us for our sins and for JESUS to come into our hearts, that is GOD’S redemptive plan. In that instant Spiritual conception takes place quicker than the twinkle of the eye. Thus, a person’s Spiritual birth into GOD’s eternal Family.

The proof is that JESUS paid the price for all sin is in the fact that GOD raised JESUS from the physically dead to be eternally alive. This is a foreshadow of all who accept JESUS as their SAVIOR.

SAVIOR is one thing, but the real joy comes is when we make JESUS the LORD of our lives.

The ultimate love of GOD, JESUS, our Savior, and GOD’S only SON, was nailed to the cross for all sin. HE gave HIS sinless life for all, who placed their faith in HIM. Quicker than the twinkle of the eye the person who places his/her faith in Jesus is “born-again” in their human spirit and redeemed by the shed blood of JESUS.

The same power that conceived JESUS in the womb of Mary is the same power that redeems all who place their faith in JESUS.

Does this sound too good to be true? What did JESUS tell Nicodemus as we read in John 3:1:

Jesus and Nicodemus

3 There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. ² This man came to him (JESUS) at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with him.”

³ Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again,^[a] he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

⁴ “How can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked him. “Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”

⁵ Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. ⁶ Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh (water), and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. ⁸ The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So, it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

⁹ “How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus.

¹⁰ “Are you a teacher^[b] of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied. ¹¹ “Truly I tell you, we speak what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony. ¹² If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven —the Son of Man.^[c]

¹⁴ “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ so that everyone who believes in him may^[d] have eternal life. ¹⁶ For God loved the world in this way:^[e] He gave^[f] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. ¹⁹ This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it,^[g] so that his deeds may not be exposed. ²¹ But anyone who lives by^[h] the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”

JESUS came into the world, not to condemn the world and its inhabitants. “NO!!!” The world was already condemned and GOD in HIS LOVE SENT THE INHABITANTS OF EARTH A SAVIOR AND REDEEMER. GOD DID NOT DESERT HUMANITY – INSTEAD, HUMANITY DESERTED GOD BY SINNING.

THIS TAKES US BACK TO JOHN 3:16 - For God loved the world in this way:^[e] He gave^[f] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 

What does it mean to believe? Take a step of faith when we do not see the step! It is trusting!

Let’s consider John 3:17-21:

¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Anyone who believes in him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the one and only Son of God. ¹⁹ This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it,^[g] so that his deeds may not be exposed. ²¹ But anyone who lives by^[h] the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”

HUMANKIND HAS A CHOICE!!! How do you choose?

JESUS WILLINGLY CAME TO EARTH TO BE THE PERFECT ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE TO GOD FOR ALL SIN. HE CAME AS A BABY AND AS HE GREW, HE WAS TEMPTED IS ALL WAYS AS HUMANS ARE TEMPTED, YET WITHOUT SIN.

DEAR JESUS THANK YOU FOR COMING TO EARTH TO BE THE REDEEMER FOR ALL WHO PLACE THEIR FAITH IN YOU AND YOUR PASSION.

NOW, THE QUESTION IS, “HOW DO YOU CHOOSE?”

I recall praying early one morning after our eldest son had died from a fall. I screamed to the LORD, “I hate death!!!”

Guess what? The still small voice of GOD spoke to my heart, “SO! DO I!” and I did something about it! I sent my only son, JESUS, to earth to atone for all sin and removed the stone from the path that blocks all humans from eternal life and Heaven.

Ask JESUS to forgive you for your sins and ask HIM to come into your heart and be redeemed from eternal Hell and receive eternal life and eternal citizenship in Heaven.

It is not complicated. Dear FATHER, I am a sinner, and I accept JESUS as my Savior, and I ask JESUS to come into my heart right now. JESUS paid for all of my sins, in full and through the miracle of being “born-again” I will be your child for all eternity. Thank YOU, JESUS, for saving my soul.

Now enjoy Christmas as a born-again believer and grow as you read and study GOD’S Word, the Bible. Start with the book of John. If you are not already in a Bible teaching church or fellowship, ask GOD to lead you to the place where you can grow Spiritually and build your Spiritual muscles by telling others about JESUS as you are led by the Holy Spirit, WHO indwells you.

The LORD led me to begin our study with the story about baking and decorating a beautiful cake. GOD has displayed HIS best in the birth of HIS ONLY SON, JESUS, and HIS earthly life. We can look at and study JESUS, but the proof is in the tasting of HIS goodness by asking HIM to forgive us for our sins and for JESUS to come into our heart.

Psalm 34:8: Taste and see that the Lord is good.
How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Blessings!!!

Bible Study - Looking Forward (3) - To Joy - Luke 2:4-14 - December 15, 2024 (Not Proofed Yet)

 Bible Study – Looking Forward (3) – To Joy – Luke 2:4-14 – December 15, 2024 

Our focus scripture is Luke 2:4-14. 

JESUS has come, giving us much cause for joy. 

Let’s explore! 

Our focus scripture is Luke 2:4-7 but let’s first consider why Bethlehem: 

Samuel Anoints David as King 

16 Now the Lord said to Samuel, “You have mourned long enough for Saul. I have rejected him as king of Israel, so fill your flask with olive oil and go to Bethlehem. Find a man named Jesse who lives there, for I have selected one of his sons to be my king.” 

2 But Samuel asked, “How can I do that? If Saul hears about it, he will kill me.” 

“Take a heifer with you,” the Lord replied, “and say that you have come to make a sacrifice to the Lord. 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you which of his sons to anoint for me.” 

GOD was laying the foundation for Grace to trump the law. 

David is anointed to be the next King. This was done in Bethlehem. 

What is special about Bethlehem?  

Bethlehem is called the “House of Bread.” JESUS is referred to as “The Bread of life.”  

GOD, through the Prophet Micah, foretold the birth place of JESUS as recorded in Micah 5:2 Bethlehem Ephrathah, 
you are small among the clans of Judah; 
one will come from you 
to be ruler over Israel for me. 
His origin[a] is from antiquity, 
from ancient times. 

How far was it from Nazareth to Bethlehem for Mary and Joseph? It was between 70-90 miles.  

Why did Joseph and Mary have to go to Bethlehem?  

The primary reason for Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem was due to a decree issued by Caesar Augustus, the Roman Emperor at the time. The decree stated that a census should be conducted throughout the Roman Empire, and everyone was required to return to their ancestral homes for this purpose. 

Mary was a descendant of the Tribe of Juda. Mary’s ancestry is listed in Luke 3: 23 As he began his ministry, Jesus was about thirty years old and was thought to be the 

son of Joseph, son of Heli, 

24 son of Matthat, son of Levi, etc…. 

Heli was Mary’s ancestral tie to the Tribe of Juda. 

GOD places HIS chosen where HE desires for them to be to achieve HIS objectives.  

Ponder this: DO you accept the virgin birth of JESUS? The Holy Spirit came upon Mary, and she conceived. In 1 John 3:9:  
No one born (begotten) of God [deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin, for God’s nature abides in him [His principle of life, the divine sperm, remains permanently within him]; and he cannot practice sinning because he is born (begotten) of God. 

Consider your own conversion experience. When you asked JESUS to forgive you for your sins and for JESUS to come into your heart a divine conception took place faster than the twinkle of your eye. You were Spirit-born into the eternal Family of GOD, never to be Spiritually unborn! 

The power of the Holy Spirit resulted in the conception of JESUS and the power of the Holy Spirit results in the Spiritual conception of all who ask JESUS to forgive them for their sins, believing that JESUS was and is the perfect acceptable sacrifice to GOD for all sin.  

Mary was willing to be the Mother of JESUS and every person must be willing to accept JESUS as his or her Savior. Once a person is Spirit-born, they will never be Spirit unborn.  

Merry CHRISTMAS!!! JESUS came to earth just for you to have eternal life through faith in HIM. 

Dear JESUS, I don’t understand the miracle of being “born-again.” 

But I do ask JESUS to come into my heart, believing that HE gave HIS sinless life for me to have eternal life by being “born-again” in my spirit. 

If you prayed this prayer or something similar, then thank JESUS for coming into your heart and the miracle of being born by the Holy Spirit into GOD’S eternal Family.  

You are a newborn baby through faith in JESUS and need Spiritual nourishment – Bible Study, I suggest reading the Gospel of John. If you are not already in a Bible believing and teaching church or fellowship, ask GOD to lead you to the place where you can be fed Spiritual food.  

JESUS told the woman at the well in Samaria as recorded in John 4: 7 A woman of Samaria came to draw water. 

“Give me a drink,” Jesus said to her, 8 because his disciples had gone into town to buy food. 

9 “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?” she asked him. For Jews do not associate with[d] Samaritans.[e] 

10 Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God, and who is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would ask him, and he would give you living water.” 

11 “Sir,” said the woman, “you don’t even have a bucket, and the well is deep. So where do you get this ‘living water’? 12 You aren’t greater than our father Jacob, are you? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and livestock.” 

13 Jesus said, “Everyone who drinks from this water will get thirsty again. 14 But whoever drinks from the water that I will give him will never get thirsty again. In fact, the water I will give him will become a well[f] of water springing up in him for eternal life.” 

15 “Sir,” the woman said to him, “give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and come here to draw water.” 

As a new believer the Holy Spirit is the living water that quinches your Spiritual thirst. As a child of GOD talk to JESUS as you would your very best friend, because HE is. HE gave HIS sinless life just for you. 

Prayers for a wonderful Spiritual journey and welcome into the eternal Family of GOD. MERRY CHRISTMAS! JESUS has come and HE is coming again! Be ready for the rapture or your physical death. Either way, as a born-again believer, you will meet JESUS.  

Blessings!!!