- araratchurch
- Dec 15, 2023
- 2 min read
“And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Luke 2:7 NKJV
[For the next two days we will be looking at the same portion of scripture we have considered over the last two days.]
A Messiah had been promised to weary, sin-laden people for centuries. Now, He makes His appearance in the most unlikely of circumstances. Indeed, The Word made flesh takes His first breath as one of us in what was most likely a stable.
As we have discussed, the humility of the King of glory making His fleshly entrance in such lowly circumstances is beyond my personal comprehension. Imagine, the first scent into His precious nostrils was not the incense of Heaven; rather, it was the smell of animals.
Along with this unimaginable scene, let’s take a step back and look at the fact that the promise of God was not prevented by adverse circumstances.
Indeed, you will find throughout the Bible—as is often true in our own lives—that adversity can actually be the womb for God’s promises.
Look at the classic example of Abraham and Sarah. They had been given a promise, but with the passage of time, it seemed that the fulfillment became less and less likely. However, Abraham continued to hold to the hope of receiving the son of promise.
“Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping—believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have!” And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.”
Romans 4:18-19 NLT
Indeed, Sarah was assured of the promised son—even in the face of contrary evidence—because of Who had made the promise.
“By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised.”
Hebrews 11:11 NKJV
Yes! The fulfillment of God’s promise is not dependent on perfect circumstances. For that matter, it is independent of whatever the world, the flesh, and the devil can try to exact against it. Its fulfillment is only dependent on the perfect faithfulness of He Who has promised and whether we will believe.
There was no room in the inn, so a very tired couple had to deliver their firstborn son where only animals may have been born before. But no adversity could keep He Who was promised for centuries, He Who was personally promised to Mary and Joseph, from making His entrance into time right there in Bethlehem.
For today meditate on the fact that God’s promises are often realized in the midst of adversity.
Remember, the promises of God haven’t come into your adversity to die; on the contrary, perhaps that is where they will be born!
Finally, make no mistake, it doesn’t matter what anybody says, or how it looks in the world, Jesus will come again, just as He said He would. And, He will receive to Himself those of us who have continued to look for His coming!
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- Dec 13, 2023
- 3 min read
“And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Luke 2:7 NKJV
In Jewish culture the firstborn—generally a firstborn son—had a privileged position and a larger portion of the inheritance. With that, he also had the additional responsibility of caring for his mother and unmarried sisters in the case where the father was incapacitated (in which case he would take care of both parents) or deceased.
“He is the exact living image [the essential manifestation] of the unseen God [the visible representation of the invisible], the firstborn [the preeminent one, the sovereign, and the originator] of all creation.”
Colossians 1:15 AMP
Our Lord, as our elder Brother and Firstborn of the Father, has authority over us all. But, He also took on the responsibility to make a way for us to be reinstated into fellowship with the Father: His death on the cross. Yes, He takes care of us all.
“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
Romans 8:29 NKJV
Additionally, Jesus became the Firstborn from the dead so that we could also be raised from death into eternal life.
Now, we know that Jesus was not the first to be raised from being dead per se, as He raised people from the dead in His own earthly ministry. And, in the Old Testament we see multiple cases of people being raised from the dead. However, none of those people (raised from the dead) were raised to eternal life; at some point they had to again experience death. But, Jesus was raised from the dead, NEVER to die again!
“and from Jesus Christ. He is the faithful witness to these things, the first to rise from the dead, and the ruler of all the kings of the world. All glory to him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by shedding his blood for us.”
Revelation 1:5 NLT
For today meditate on what it means for Jesus to be the Firstborn of the Father. What responsibilities and authority does He assume for us? Where would we be without Him?
Additionally, consider the soon coming of Jesus Christ for those who are His.
Make no mistake, we will be raised to eternal life in a glorified body, never to face death again!
”Now I say this, believers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit nor be part of the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable (mortal) inherit the imperishable (immortal). Listen very carefully, I tell you a mystery [a secret truth decreed by God and previously hidden, but now revealed]; we will not all sleep [in death], but we will all be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed], in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at [the sound of] the last trumpet call. For a trumpet will sound, and the dead [who believed in Christ] will be raised imperishable, and we will be [completely] changed [wondrously transformed]. For this perishable [part of us] must put on the imperishable [nature], and this mortal [part of us that is capable of dying] must put on immortality [which is freedom from death]. And when this perishable puts on the imperishable, and this mortal puts on immortality, then the Scripture will be fulfilled that says, “Death is swallowed up in victory (vanquished forever). O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin [by which it brings death] is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the work of the Lord [always doing your best and doing more than is needed], being continually aware that your labor [even to the point of exhaustion] in the Lord is not futile nor wasted [it is never without purpose].“
1 Corinthians 15:50-58 AMP
Thank God for His Firstborn!
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!
- araratchurch
- Dec 12, 2023
- 3 min read
“So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”
Luke 2:6-7 NKJV
Because we have only our imagination, along with whatever depictions we have seen of the birth of Christ, we might suppose a much more surreal or dramatic scene than was that of His actual birth.
The fact is, our Lord—God made flesh—was born in a stable among animals and whatever “accoutrement” accompanied them. The sights and smells were probably pretty much what you would imagine.
Bear in mind, Mary was a very young woman, giving birth to her first child, after having traveled a long arduous journey. Imagine how tired she must’ve been. As well, her mind must’ve been a whirl with all the firsts and unknowns she was suddenly thrust into.
Miraculously, as common as this scene probably was, as fragile as a little virgin and her weary groom seemed to be, the God of the universe was entering time in a flesh vehicle through the matrix of a young virgin girl. And, because of this one event experienced in obscurity, the created order was on the nexus between The Fall and redemption.
Bear in mind, accompanying the birth of our Lord was no team of heavenly servants sent to make sure Jesus was cared for properly.
Amazingly, the Lord completely committed Himself into flesh where He would be subject to the care of His earthly parents. He could and would feel pain. He could and would be abused. He could and would die a horrible death.
The act of He through Whom all things were made, the Word of God, condescending into the form of mortal man, is honestly beyond my comprehension. But how thankful and grateful I am that He did just that.
For today meditate on what it means that the King of Glory humbled Himself to become one of us, so that we might be exalted to a heavenly position with Him.
Additionally, consider how we should be willing to humble ourselves, given the humiliation the Lord endured for us all!
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
Philippians 2:5-11 NKJV
Yes, the time had come when all the prophetic predictions concerning the Messiah’s coming, would find their mate in a little town called Bethlehem.
Indeed, He came down so that we can go up; and soon and very soon, we will do just that! Do you believe?
Peace to you.
Jesus is coming! Get ready for Him!