Jesus, the Creator

"All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made." (John 1:3)

You have seen the pictures of a sweet, little, pale Jesus boy.  In fact, one song says, "Sweet little Jesus boy, we didn't know who you was."  Don't be fooled by the trappings of the manger and the lowing of the cattle.  He is the creator of the universe.  We are told in Colossians 1:16, "For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him and for Him."

In the beginning He was God in the Spirit.  He left heaven's glory and stopped by here just long enough to put on a robe of flesh and live among us, taking time to go to a cross outside Jerusalem to pay our debt of sin.

But, this man among men arose from the grave in resurrection power, ascended to heaven where He sits at the right hand of the Father, making priestly intercession for us while He runs the universe.  He is very capable of being your Savior if you will turn your life over to Him and trust Him completely. 

It is No Secret

"...For this thing was not done in a corner." Acts 26:26  

Recently my wife and I saw a group perform live and on stage the advent scene, complete with live animals including a donkey, two camels and four sheep. The birth story from the Bible was read. It was a truly amazing, professionally done, presentation. Numerous churches are presenting the story of the birth of Jesus this Christmas. Tell it again and again.  

Around 2,000 years ago the Jews were once again observing Passover, an annual event that drew as many as three million Jewish pilgrims to Jerusalem. It was on the day when the Passover Lamb was slain that Jesus Christ was crucified and died. It was an open, public execution, just outside the wall of the old city. Many people saw that terrible event that day when the sun refused to shine for three of the six hours that Jesus was on the cross. Tell it over and over again.  

In the spring many churches will go to great lengths to present an accurate account of the arrest, trial, scourging, crucifixion, death burial and resurrection of Jesus. Sunday after Sunday, week in and week out, pastors and evangelists will stand before congregations of people and declare the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Tell it again and again.  

This thing was not done in a corner. These are not secret events. Tell it over and over again and again.

Pray for those in Authority

"I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior."  (I Timothy 2:1-3)

All of us have known some good, decent, honest and Godly people. Fortunately, many of these good people have run for public office and some have been elected. They were deserving of public trust. They made or are making excellent leaders.

But, let's face it. There are people that are difficult if not impossible to like. I have seen voted into public office people that one could assume were part of Al Capone's immediate family, had "Baby Face" Nelson as a bosom pal and whose immoral lifestyle would cause the devil to blush with embarrassment.

It's easy to pray for good, Godly, decent people.  However, the Bible tells us to pray for all, the bad as well as the good. The prayers of Christian citizens can make a huge difference in a community, county, state or nation. Who is the very worst elected public official you know?  Pray for that person as you pray for others. 

What's This All About?

"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief." (I Timothy 1:15)

Sometimes we hear things spoken and see things written that are just not true.  However, this saying before us is true and trustworthy. One can accept all of it.  You can stake all of your eternity on it.

First, Christ Jesus came into the world. We have a host of eyewitness accounts of His miraculous birth and His sinless life. His coming into the world and living among us is an established historical fact.

Second, His purpose in coming into the world was not to give us a long, festive holiday once a year.  He came into the world to save sinners. Notice also, He did not come to condemn sinners, but to save sinners. (John 3:17)

Finally, the apostle acknowledges that Christ Jesus came to save "chiefest" of sinners.

Let Him save you from sin, its guilt and the eternal consequences of sin. Repent: turn around and Receive Christ by faith. 

Eyewitness Report: Jesus is Real

"That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life (I John 1:1)

Despite what some first century critics said, and what some say today, Jesus was a real person.  Some said that Jesus only seemed real to His followers, that Jesus was the figment of their imaginations.  They said the disciples wanted Jesus to be real so they invented this imaginary friend, much as children sometimes have imaginary friends.

However, His reality is seen throughout the New Testament.  We have the testimony of an eyewitness in the person of John the apostle. He tells his readers, "We have heard Him." Imagine what it would be like in an early morning Bible study with Jesus or hearing Him preach a sermon.

He further states, "We have seen Him with our eyes." How many pairs of eyes are included in the pronouns, "We," and "Our?"  Then this eyewitness states, "We have looked upon." The word, "Looked," means to "gaze upon." They must have sat in open-mouthed awe, not just seeing Him but gazing upon Him.  In addition, they "handled" this Word of life.  They touched Him, bumped against Him, perhaps steadied themselves putting a hand on His shoulder as friends will sometimes do. 

This Son of God that went to the cross paying our sin debt was/is a real person.  You can trust Him completely. 

One of Us

"And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us..." (John 1:14)

In three phrases in the first verse of the first chapter of the Gospel of John we have descriptions of who Jesus is.  At the end of each phrase we could insert John 1:14.  For instance, the first phrase followed by verse 14 would read, "In the beginning was the Word...and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us."  The second phrase followed by verse 14, "And the Word was with God...and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us."  And then the third phrase in verse one, "and the Word was God...and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us."

A little girl was frightened in her room one night after going to bed.  She called to her mother to come to her room.  Her mother responded, "Don't be afraid. God is with you."  Following a long pause the little girl said, "But I want someone with skin on."

That is exactly who Jesus is.  He is God with skin on.  That's what verse fourteen means. "The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us."  One translation says, "He pitched His tent with us." 

"He became one of us," is the message of Christmas. 

Praying Three Times a Day

"Evening, and morning, and at noon, will I pray, and cry aloud: and He shall hear my voice." (Psalms 55:17)

The greatest unclaimed resource available to us today is prayer.

David's testimony was that he prayed three times a day.  I see him perhaps on his knees by his bedside after a hard day.  He closes his day by giving a brief farewell to the heavenly Father until morning, thanking Him for His presence through all the difficulties of the day and asking for His protection through the night.

I see this king of Israel checking in with God and reporting for duty early in the morning.  He acknowledges, as we should, that the day is too long if spent without God.

Then, at noon this shepherd boy chosen to be king of God's people admits that he needs God in the middle of the day, so he prays.

If the great King of Israel needed to talk things over with God three times a day, who is this peasant preacher not to need to do the same. David had confidence that God would hear his voice.  You can exercise that same confidence.  Begin to pray frequently.