For the next several weeks I’d like to follow the footsteps of Jesus as He moves through the gospels, and in the process observe His attributes, His character, His altogether loveliness. For in observing these things, we can observe the very qualities of God. Colossians 2:9 (Amplified) says, “For in Him (Jesus) the whole fullness of Deity, the Godhead, continues to dwell in bodily form giving complete expression of the divine nature.”

Imagine! All the qualities of the divine nature are revealed in Jesus. Most of us already know the New Testament stories, but it’s always profitable to revisit them for new insights and revelation, or just to reinforce what we already know. In doing so I believe we’ll fall in love, all over again, with our wonderful Savior.

We first hear about Jesus in Matthew 1:21-23 and Luke 1:28-33 when the angel Gabriel appears to Mary and tells her she is to bear a son who is to be called Jesus and “the Son of the Highest,” and that the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. From this we know that God Himself named Jesus; that Jesus is the very Son of God, for there is no “Highest” than God; and that Jesus is a King. John 1:1-14 adds to this by saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made, in him was life; and the life was the light of men . . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father.” This tells us that Jesus is God, the living Word, the Creator and the light of men.

Next we see this amazing, wonderful Jesus coming in the flesh as a baby born in a smelly animal shelter, a birth unnoticed by the world at large. No velvet cushions were put under His head, no royal bedchamber to sleep in, no princes and noble lords paying homage. No pomp, no ceremony. None of that. And the royal birth announcement was made by holy angels, not to the powerful or the influential of the world, but to simple shepherds, ordinary people like you and me. And they declared that a Savior was born! Again, adding to the picture of who Jesus is.

Wow! How humbly and simply Jesus, the Son of the Highest, a King, the Savior, the living Word, God Himself, the Creator of everything, the light of men, enters the world! It takes my breath away. Most people want to shout their accomplishments and pedigree from the rooftops so that everyone will know who they are. But not our Jesus.

Just by this, Jesus has already shown Himself so far above anyone who has ever come before or since.

Until next week,

Sylvia

Check this story out. It sounds incredible.

The powerful benevolent ruler of a vast kingdom was so grieved over the thought that he had to banish his disobedient subjects from his face forever, that he transformed himself, left the splendor of his mountain top palace and came to dwell in the crime ridden valley of those very subjects.  For years he walked among them, teaching them how to live, showing by example the meaning of love.  But most of his subjects never believed he was the great king everyone talked about.  Many made fun of him, others spoke evil against him, still others proclaimed him a fraud.  But he patiently endured it all because he had a plan, a plan so incredible that even his enemies were stunned.

The king’s domain was enormous, and included other subjects that dwelled in his mountain top kingdom, subjects far superior to those living in the crime riddled valley.  A king over such a kingdom could never rescind his decree or be perceived to show favoritism.  No.  Once he proclaimed something into law, it was cut in stone, and had to be satisfied.  The penalty for treason was death; a death so terrible it meant banishment forever into a realm of darkness far from his kingdom of light. And there was only one thing that could satisfy the great king’s justice—an innocent life had to be give up for the guilty. And so, he decided to pay the penalty himself.  In fact, that was his plan all along.  From the foundation of his kingdom, he had planned to lay down his life for the very ones who mocked him, called him names, considered him a fraud. That was the only reason he had transformed himself into a little baby, born in a manager, in an insignificant village, to a humble virgin. Who can explain a love so great?  Or a plan so wonderful and shocking all at the same time?

But it’s true. It happened when Jesus, the King of Kings, the Ruler of the Universe, the Creator of all things came to the crime filled streets of earth with the sole purpose of saving us from banishment to hell.  And it’s up to us what we do with it.  Will we ridicule Him? Speak evil against Him? Proclaim Him a fraud? Or accept what He has done and acknowledge he has paid for our crimes? Acknowledge that because He has, we have a place with Him forever in His great kingdom?

Wishing you the peace, and joy, and hope and promise of Christmas.

Until next week,

Sylvia