Jesus, the only son of God, the Christ, the Messiah. Immanuel; "God with us", the greatest man who ever lived on earth, who'll ever live on earth........!
Angels announced his impending birth. The son of a humble couple, from the town of Bethlehem in Judea [current day Palestine]. Descended from the royal lineage of King David, his destiny foretold by prophets long since gone [Is 7:14]. A new star heralded his birth, wise men came from the far off east, following that bright star, to pay him homage. Nearby shepherds came to worship at his feet, Herod heard and was scared, he tried to have him killed, but Jesus was taken away to safety in Egypt on an angels beckoning. [Matt 2:15]
What was his purpose here on earth, what did he come to do......?
He came to do the most generous thing, the noblest thing any man has ever done for another, throughout the course of history. He came to teach us about his Father, despite the scorn, ridicule and derision he received along the way. He came to reunite us with our Creator, from whom we had been separated, since the fall of Adam at the beginning of time [Gen 3:23-24]. He came to preach good news to the poor, heal the sick, give sight to the blind and set the captives free.
He came as a living sacrifice, to atone for all our sins by the giving of his life and the shedding of his blood on the cross. He did this while we were all still unrepentant sinners, he did this even when we whipped him, cursed him, spat on him, stripped him of his garments, strung him up and nailed him to the cross. And yet, he still prayed for us, prayed that God his father would forgive us "because we did not know what we were doing" [Lk 23:34]. Jesus knew this was the reason he was sent to earth, to die in a most horrible manner for our sins, and yet he came willingly......, like a lamb to the slaughter.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" [Jn 3:16]. Jesus came to love us, sinners, as His Father loved him. He entreated us to obey his commands and remain in his love, just as he had obeyed his Father's commands and remained in Gods love. Yeah, he commanded us: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no-one than this, that a man should lay down his life for his friends [Jn 15:9-13]. We are his friends if we do what he commands, he has made known to us everything that he learned from his Father, and again he commands us to love each other [Jn 15:17].
For me, this is the very essence of Who Jesus is, this is the basis of the redemptive message he brought to the world. "God loves us, He wants to save us, He sent his only Son to save us, He desires that we love Him whole heartedly, and He also desires, actually commands us, to love each other, as He has loved us.
If we claim to know who Jesus is, are we doing what he commands.......? Thats an imponderable question.
Angels announced his impending birth. The son of a humble couple, from the town of Bethlehem in Judea [current day Palestine]. Descended from the royal lineage of King David, his destiny foretold by prophets long since gone [Is 7:14]. A new star heralded his birth, wise men came from the far off east, following that bright star, to pay him homage. Nearby shepherds came to worship at his feet, Herod heard and was scared, he tried to have him killed, but Jesus was taken away to safety in Egypt on an angels beckoning. [Matt 2:15]
What was his purpose here on earth, what did he come to do......?
He came to do the most generous thing, the noblest thing any man has ever done for another, throughout the course of history. He came to teach us about his Father, despite the scorn, ridicule and derision he received along the way. He came to reunite us with our Creator, from whom we had been separated, since the fall of Adam at the beginning of time [Gen 3:23-24]. He came to preach good news to the poor, heal the sick, give sight to the blind and set the captives free.
He came as a living sacrifice, to atone for all our sins by the giving of his life and the shedding of his blood on the cross. He did this while we were all still unrepentant sinners, he did this even when we whipped him, cursed him, spat on him, stripped him of his garments, strung him up and nailed him to the cross. And yet, he still prayed for us, prayed that God his father would forgive us "because we did not know what we were doing" [Lk 23:34]. Jesus knew this was the reason he was sent to earth, to die in a most horrible manner for our sins, and yet he came willingly......, like a lamb to the slaughter.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" [Jn 3:16]. Jesus came to love us, sinners, as His Father loved him. He entreated us to obey his commands and remain in his love, just as he had obeyed his Father's commands and remained in Gods love. Yeah, he commanded us: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no-one than this, that a man should lay down his life for his friends [Jn 15:9-13]. We are his friends if we do what he commands, he has made known to us everything that he learned from his Father, and again he commands us to love each other [Jn 15:17].
For me, this is the very essence of Who Jesus is, this is the basis of the redemptive message he brought to the world. "God loves us, He wants to save us, He sent his only Son to save us, He desires that we love Him whole heartedly, and He also desires, actually commands us, to love each other, as He has loved us.
If we claim to know who Jesus is, are we doing what he commands.......? Thats an imponderable question.
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