The Friday Update--December 12

Good morning,

Let me start this week by asking a question. ‘Why did the gospel writers (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) write their gospels?’ The answer is simple. To give some of the overwhelming evidence that Jesus of Nazareth is the Promised Messiah.

One major piece of that evidence is that God would send someone, “to prepare the way of the LORD”. This prophecy is given to us in Isaiah 40:1-6. All four gospel writers declare that John the Baptist was that man.

John declared himself to be this one that would prepare the way for the LORD. In John 1:23 we read, “He said, ‘I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, make straight the way of the LORD as the prophet Isaiah said.’”

This forerunner was to make the people ready for the appearing of ‘the Christ.’ In other words, he would call the people to repent and turn from their sinful lives. When they did this he would baptize them in water.

It had been several hundred years since a prophet of God had spoken to the nation of Israel. Thus, the people had become very sinful in their ways. John revealed sin for what it was, rebellion and rejection of God. His message was not popular. 

The foretelling of John’s birth, by the Angel Gabriel, plays a major part of the evidence to his identity. Both of his parents were well past child bearing years. 

However, an angel appeared to John’s father telling him that he and his wife would have a son in the next year. The angel told him, “You shall call his name John … he will be great before the LORD … and be filled with the Holy Spirit from birth.” One year later John was born, just as the angel said. (Luke 1:8-25) 

The message of Christmas is one of hope, great hope. A Savior has been sent from God and born into this world. However, unless we understand the message of John the Baptist calling us to repent of our sin, we will see little need to be saved.

May God bless your reading of His Word this week.

Steve

Bible Reading Plan—Week 15

DAY 1—Isaiah 40:1-8

DAY 2—John 1:19-28

DAY 3—John 1:29-34

DAY 4—John 1:35-42

DAY 5—John 1:43-51

Good morning, 

The Christmas season began last Sunday with the beginning of Advent. Therefore, we will spend the month of December taking a deeper look into the Christmas message declared in God’s Word. 

To start we must fully grasp why we need a Savior!? In Genesis 3 we saw the Fall of mankind when Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. This brought sin into the world. Sin spread to all mankind, “all have sinned” and “the wages of sin is death.”  

The sinful sons and daughters of Adam must be saved from sin. They cannot save themselves by ‘trying to be good enough.’ God’s standard is perfection. Thus unless a Savior comes, all will die in their sin.

In the book of Isaiah we learn of a Promised Savior to be born of a virgin. We read, “Therefore the LORD Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

This prophecy was made 600 years before the birth of Jesus of Nazareth. The words seem out of place, yet this verse is one of the most common to be read at Christmas.

The gospel writer Matthew declared the birth of Jesus Christ to be the fulfillment of this prophecy (Matthew 1:23). He also tells us that the name Immanuel means, “God with us”.

So how does Jesus Christ save His people from their sins? First, He is the sinless and spotless “Lamb of God”. He kept God’s Law perfectly—doing for us what we could not do for ourselves. 

Secondly, He would die an atoning death on the cross that would satisfy the Wrath of Almighty God on sin. Anyone seeing their sin, repenting of it, and trusting in Jesus Christ would be saved. Outside of faith in Christ “there is no salvation”.

Jesus Christ is the only person to be born of a virgin, thus setting Him apart from ALL other human beings. We celebrate His birth on Christmas Day—declaring Him to be the long-awaited Savior, “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

May God bless your reading of His Word this Christmas season.

Steve 

Bible Reading Plan—Week 14

DAY 1—Isaiah 7:1-9

DAY 2—Isaiah 1:10-17

DAY 3—Matthew 1:1-11 (as you read the genealogy look for names you recognize)

DAY 4—Matthew 1:12-17

DAY 5—Matthew 1:18-25 (there is a lot of information here, please read this slowly)