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THE CHURCH ON HIGHER GROUND |
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HOMEPAGE |
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HIS STORY INTRODUCTION |
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HOMEPAGE |
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JESUS THE ANTICIPATED ONE |
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PAGE 1 FORETOLD IN THE OLD TESTAMENT |
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PAGE 2 JESUS ANNOUNCED BY ST. JOHN |
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PAGE 3 EARTHLY PREPARATION |
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PAGE 4 ALL IS MADE READY |
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PAGE 5 |
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PAGE 6 |
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PAGE 7 |
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PAGE 8 |
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PAGE 9 |
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PAGE 6
LESSON #1 His Story #15/Lk.1:33/Throne of Jacob
LESSON #2 His Story #16/Lk.1:34-35/Jesus the Son of God
LESSON #3 His Story #17/Lk.1:36-40/Be it unto me
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LESSON #1 His Story #15/Lk.1:33/Throne of Jacob
Wed Apr 11, 2001 4:08 pm
Mary is told that her Son Jesus would rule over the house of Jacob for ever. There are those that deny that Jesus will rule over the actual Jewish people. However, there are promises in the Bible which are made to the physical as well as the spiritual descendents of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Jesus was not just the "spiritual" seed of Abraham but the physical seed as well. Jesus did not just fulfill the spiritual criteria of Israel's Messiah but the physical as well. Jesus did not just rise from the dead spiritually, He rose physically as well. He will not only sit on the throne of a spiritual kingdom but on the throne of a physical one as well.
From the earliest times God has always had people who looked to Him and trusted Him. One of those who trusted Him was Abraham. God chose Abraham to provide the family and tribe and nation through which He would send His Son into the world to be it's Savior.
Because of Abraham's great faith and relationship with God, he is called the father of the faithful. We are Abraham's children based on faith and not based on blood. Because Israel has rejected Christ as Messiah up to this
point in time, Israel has been cut off as a nation from the promises which God made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. However, Israel as a nation will one day recognize Jesus as Messiah and God will fulfill all of His promises of a kingdom through Jesus the promised seed of Abraham.
There are some promises which are made to the "spiritual sons of Abraham" and some promises which are made to the "natural sons of Abraham." It is interesting to read the various viewpoints on this verse which says, "And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end."
Paul shows us in the book of Romans that Israel was a chosen nation, but cut off because of unbelief. Paul goes on to tell us that the Gentiles were grafted into the kingdom but there will come a time when Israel will be grafted back into the kingdom.
The Bible can only be properly understood when we realize that God's plan includes both the Jews and the Church. God used the Jews in a very definite and dynamic way in the Old Testament and He still has plans for their future. God had deal with Israel throughout the Old Testament as they vascilated in their relationship with Him. Though He had always planned to incorporate the Gentile world into His kingdom, Israel had been His chosen people and nation. With the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost the plan of God was to be broadened to include both the Jews and the Gentiles. Over the next several years the Jews became less a part of the Church while the Gentiles became a greater part. Eventually the Jews no longer put their trust in Christ and they were cut off as a people. There will be a time in the future when the Jews will come back to God, as they did so many times in the Old Testament.
God has focused the revelation of Himself to the world differently in history. In the Old Testament the focus was Israel which was a national kingdom. In the New Testament the focus is The Church. The Church is not a political or economic kingdom. It is a spiritual kingdom which includes Jews and Gentiles.
After the Tribulation, Jesus will set up His earthly kingdom to rule from Jerusalem for 1000 years. After the Great White Throne Judgement, Jesus will rule forever over a New Heaven, New Earth and the New Jerusalem.
Jesus will reign forever and of His kingdom there will be no end.
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LESSON #2 His Story #16/Lk.1:34-35/Jesus the Son of God
Sat Apr 21, 2001 8:34 am
After Mary was given this incredibly awsome prophecy of the Child which she was about to carry, she asked the obvious question of the angel, "How can this be since I have not had relations with a man?" Though the prophecy was stunning, the possibility had to be established. Mary knew about the facts of life and she also knew that she had never known a man sexually. She did not doubt the varacity of the angel, but she needed to understand the "how" as well as the "what", because, if the "how" was not possible, the "what" was not possible. Though the idea of a virgin birth was astounding, it was not beyond Mary's faith. She would have been familiar with the Old Testament teaching on this and was familiar with Divine intervention in the cases of Sarah, Hannah and was about to find out about her cousin Elizabeth. Her question was not because she doubted God's ability, but because she was concerned about His method. It is reasonable to think that she was wanting a clear statement that she would be the "virgin" which would bear a Son. After all, this did have to do with her and she would have to live with this for the rest of her life.
The angel accomodated her inquiry. He told her that the Holy Spirit would come upon her and the power of the Almighty would overshadow her. This placing of life in Mary is not to be seen as some carnal encounter with God, as some cults would lead us to believe, but rather the simple, yet miraculous act of God in giving life. The tenderest and holiest of Divine interventions would take place in which God would quicken Mary by the Holy Spirit. God, the Author of life, would cause Mary to become pregnant with the human seed which would be incarnated by His Son. The eternal Son of God would inhabit the body which was formed within Mary's womb. Mary would be the
chosen vessle to conceive, carry and birth the Child which would be entirely human. Remember, Jesus is the 200% Person. He is 100% human and 100% God. Mary would be the mother of the humanity of Jesus. Deity has no beginning or ending therefore the Deity of Jesus had no beginning. Mary is the mother of Jesus the Man and not the mother of God. The Child who would be born of Mary would be called the Son of God. He would be the Son of God because He had received His earthly life from God, and would later be declared the Son of God because of His victory over death on the cross (Ro.1:4). However, He has always been with the Father, even before the foundation of the world*. Through His miracles He would be recognized as the Son of God (Mt.14:33). While being interrogated by Caiaphas the High Priest about His Deity, Jesus acknowledged that He was the Christ, the Son of God and He equated the Old Testament title, Son of Man, with Deity as well (Mt.26:63-64). Mark opens his gospel by declaring Jesus to be the Son of God (1:1). John, in his gospel, not only recognizes Jesus as God from the beginning (1:1), but quotes John the Baptizer and Nathanael in calling Him the Son of God (1:34,49). John also states at the end of his gospel, the whole reason for his gospel is that people would believe that Jesus is the Son of God and therefore have eternal life (20:31). Paul said that the very spiritual life we now have we have because of the faith of the Son of God. (Ga.2:20).
It is not only important to know about the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, we should also know about His nature. He is not just another man or even a great man, but He is the Son of God.
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LESSON #3 His Story #17/Lk.1:36-40/Be it unto me
Thu May 17, 2001 3:30 pm
Mary was approached by the angel and was told that she would be the mother of the One Who would be called the Son of God. She was chosen for a very special work and we will see why in the next verses.
Mary was not only told THAT she would bear a Son and How she would bear a Son but was ENCOURAGED to believe that the miracle of a virgin birth would take place. The angel pointed out that Mary's elderly relative, Elisabeth, was already six months pregnant (36). Elisabeth's barrenness
was well known and now her condition gave witness to the power of God over child-bearing. From this example, the angel points out that Mary too would bear a Son, though she had never known a man intimately, because with God nothing is impossible (37).
From the beginning of our encounter with Mary, we are stricken not with her sense of personal greatness, but with her honest humility. After all, the greatness was God's and the blessing was her's.
Note also that she embraced God's call on her life. It is easy from our vantage point to see how blessed she was to be chosen to bring the Son of God into the world. And her faith allowed her to see it as well. But think about the ramifications of the angel's announcement. Mary, though never having had intimate relations with any man would now become pregnant. Though she was espoused, she was not joined to Joseph completely. This would be a cause of much speculation and conversation in the community. Worse still would be the effect this could have on her relationship with Joseph. He certainly would know that the Child was not his. Mary was about to face some staggering difficulties. Yet she never contradicted, compromised or complained about this total change of her life that was about to take place. Instead, she gave her own Amen to the announcement by saying, "...be it unto me according to Thy Word." (38)
We will never be called upon to do that which Mary was chosen to do. However, we are called upon to carry this same Jesus into a lost and dying world. We are called upon to lay aside our own plans and dreams in order to fulfill His will in us. We are called upon to suffer the misunderstanding of our family, friends and foes as we bear His cross and bring His life to those who are not only wandering in darkness, but to those who are haters of His
light. What an amazing resignation of Mary's will is displayed when she said, "...be it unto me according to Thy Word." Are we at a place in our life and relationship with God that we will resign our wills to do His will? Are we willing to suffer loss and persecution in order to do His will? When He calls, do we quickly say, "be it unto me according to Thy Word."?
After the angel departed (38), Mary journeyed into the hill country, a city of Judah and entered into the house of Zechariah and greeted Elisabeth (40).
Mary was eagerly preparing for the blessed event of her Son's birth. She made the difficult and demandning journey to visit with Elisabeth. She would share in the spiritual blessings which had been given to Elisabeth and she would share her blessing with Elisabeth. It was not a "road trip" which so often stirs the mind and enthusiasm of young people today. Yet Mary took her call and assignment seriously. What a shame that it is so easy to get people to pack up and head off on some pleasure excursion but so difficult to get them to "follow" the Lord and "pursue" the things of God.
Mary was chosen because she had an understanding and an appreciation for the truths and ways of God. She was not so caught up in the "moment" that she missed her opportunity to be part of eternity. She took her assignment as her call. We all have many assignments along our journey. We should always say, "be it unto me according to Thy Word."
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