The GOSPEL Which Was About Jesus Christ Crucified

And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 
(1 Corinthians 2:1-2)

Unlike the travelling philosophers who lectured publically in Corinth, Paul refused to make any claim about himself. His only concern was that the Lord Jesus Christ should be overwhelmingly more important than anybody else. The Apostle did not want to exalt himself, or the church or its leaders: his message was about Jesus alone. It was Paul's clear decision, although he had been a leading Rabbi with good intellect and education; he refused to confuse the message about Jesus, the Son of God who came to die on a cross so that sinners could be saved.

Paul was not seeking a personal following, but wanted people to leave their old ways of life to follow Jesus exclusively. So the Apostle was determined not to impress the crowds with clever oratory (although he was able to argue brilliantly), nor did he offer people a more comfortable life. His message about Jesus and the cross caused much opposition (Acts 18:1-13) and he was afraid; but God told him to keep speaking about Jesus so that many would be saved (Acts 18:9-10).

Without the message of the cross there is no route to salvation (1 Corinthians 1:18). 

"For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God." (1 Peter 3:18). 

Paul could have just preached about the prayer life of Jesus, or His miracles or His humble lifestyle; but without the message of the cross nobody would know that their sins could be totally forgiven, they would have no assurance of salvation and no church could withstand persecution.

But in many places the church has stopped telling that crucial message. They are happy to be community centres, charity distribution points, clubs of likeminded people or traditional liturgists. None of these functions of church is wrong but without the message of the cross the church cannot do its primary job. It is easy to be popular by addressing people's needs, offering prosperity, education and health, but without the message of the cross people will not know how to be saved. Of course, that message is still as offensive as when Paul was in Corinth; but it is still the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). 

Pray for that cross-centred message to be central in your life and in the ministries of those you know, and share it with others.

 The Two-Fold Work of the Cross

“Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps”             (I Peter 2:21).

If we were to ask a Christian, “Have you accepted the work of the Cross?” Many of them would say yes. If you ask them what the work of the Cross is, they would respond by saying that the work of the Cross is the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus for the sins of the world.
While this is true enough, it can be misleading. A better question to ask is, “Have you accepted the two-fold work of the Cross?” Try this out on a few Christians and you will probably get a puzzled reply along the lines of, “What is the two-fold work of the Cross?” 

That is because most people are only familiar with one side of the Cross, not both sides.
For many years I was only taught one aspect of the Cross – that is, the cross on which Jesus died for me. That is all I knew, and so that is all I taught. On this cross He was crucified as my substitute. He laid down His life for me. His precious blood was shed for the forgiveness of my sins. Not only that, but the Bible says that God laid on Jesus the iniquity of us all. 

John the Baptist calls Him, “The Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the whole world.”

By identifying with His sacrificial death, He becomes our Substitute. We enter into His finished work. We are made one with Him there on the Cross. Thank God we do not have to pay this debt, for it has been paid for us. We do not have to go to the Cross and be crucified for our sins.

I would suggest that almost every Christian is familiar with this aspect of the Cross. It is the foundation of evangelicalism, the basis of millions of sermons to millions of believers. It is the truth, and we thank God for the truth whenever it is proclaimed.

There is another side to this Cross, another dimension of the same truth, which is not as well-known, and is hardly preached at all. As a result, many believers are content to embrace the “Sinner’s Cross”; that is, they have confessed Jesus as Savior, and they understand and accept Him as their Substitute. It is certainly true that Jesus is our Substitute, and that He died on the Cross for us. But as we have said, there is a two-fold work of the Cross.

Peter alludes to this two-fold work when he writes, “Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.” Christ suffered FOR us; that is the first aspect. But He left us an EXAMPLE; that is the second aspect.

So the work of the Cross is two-fold. First, Jesus is our Substitute. Secondly, He is our Example. In the first case, He took up the Cross. In the second case, I take up the Cross.

The first work of the Cross is for the Sinner; the second work of the Cross is for the Disciple.

Jesus said that the way to Life is through a narrow Gate and a difficult Path. The Gate is only the beginning of the journey; it is not the destination. So we must have both the Gate and the Path. One is not complete without the other. Once we are through the Gate, there is a Path for us to walk. The Gate makes it possible for us to walk the Path, but the Gate is incomplete without the Path. The Life is at the end of the Path, not at the beginning.
This corresponds to the two-fold work of the Cross. The “Sinner’s Cross” is the Gate. Because Jesus is my Substitute, I can now walk the Path. The “Disciple’s Cross” is the Path. Now I am following His example. Can you see the difference?

Jesus says the way to Life is through a Narrow Gate and a Difficult Path. The Narrow Gate is Christ. It is Narrow because He is the Only Way. But why is the Path so difficult? Partly because it is much easier, much more appealing, to accept Jesus as a Substitute than to accept Him as an Example. Stated differently, it is much more appealing to accept Jesus as Savior than to accept Him as Lord. With a simple prayer I can acknowledge Him as my Substitute and Savior. But to make Him my Example and my Lord, to actually walk in His footsteps, is not so appealing.

Why? In the first case I simply embrace the “Sinner’s Cross” and everything is done for me. But in the second case I must take up the “Disciple’s Cross” and actually follow in the steps of the Master. It only takes a moment to pass through the Gate, but the Path takes a lifetime of walking.

Peter wrote of this two-fold work of the Cross, but we see in Matthew 16 that he did not always have this understanding. In Matthew 16 we see Jesus as our Substitute and our Example all in one chapter. First there is Jesus as the Substitute. He begins to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things, be killed, and raised the third day. For His sins? No, for our sins. So in this He is our Substitute.

Peter, taking offense over this, pulls Jesus aside and begins to rebuke Him. Imagine! Peter is rebuking the Lord Jesus over this issue of the Cross. It is, indeed, a difficult thing to comprehend. But Jesus turns and rebukes Peter. Yes, it will be so. I will go to Jerusalem and die for the sins of the world. I must complete My substitutionary work.

But the two-fold work of the Cross goes deeper than the physical death of Jesus. And so Jesus immediately begins to speak to them, not about HIS Cross, but about THEIR Cross:
“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it'” (Matthew 16:24,25).

Peter objected to the death of the Lord Jesus and wanted to prevent His crucifixion. The Lord Jesus responded that not only must the Master be crucified, but anyone who desired to follow after the Master would, of necessity, have to take up their Cross as well.

Peter eventually learned this lesson, and it is time we learned it as well. Jesus is both my Substitute and my Example. Jesus, is both my Savior and my Lord. Jesus is both the Narrow Gate and the Difficult Path.

If there is any doubt as to the reason for a lack of power, a lack of joy, a lack of faithfulness, a lack of Spirit-and-Truth today, we need only examine a person’s ultimate attitude towards the Cross. Is the Cross, to them, something that Jesus saved them FROM, or something that Jesus saved them FOR? The fruit, or the lack thereof, tells the whole story. For there never will be, and there never can be, any fruitfulness apart from embracing the two-fold work of the Cross.

The question will of course arise: can Jesus be Savior, but not be Lord? Can I accept the salvation but not the discipleship? Can I enter the Gate but not walk the Path? And the underlying concern is really this: can I pray the Sinner’s Prayer, live any way I please, and still go to heaven when I die?

The question itself is very revealing in the ones who ask it. Consider that it takes two beams to make a Cross; one beam is not enough. If we accept only half of the two-fold work of the Cross then we have not truly embraced the Cross. If we continue to preach an easy Gospel and bring sinners to an easy Jesus by having them pray an easy prayer then we are guilty of propagating another gospel, a false gospel, a Gate without a Path.

The Rich Young Ruler came to Jesus with the exact same concern: what must I do to inherit eternal life? His primary concern was going to heaven when he died. For many Christians that is the ultimate objective and the motivation behind everything they do. In actuality, Jesus said comparatively little about “going to heaven when you die.” But He had quite a bit to say about being obedient to the will of God and producing fruit while you’re still living here on earth.

To the Rich Young Ruler who wanted to be saved, Jesus offered discipleship, not salvation:
“Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.’ But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. Then Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!'”             (Mark 10:21-23).

Not “how EASY for them to enter the Kingdom of God”, but “how HARD it is”. The two-fold work of the Cross is a hard saying for rich and for poor alike. Many turn away sad and sorrowful at the thought of taking up the Cross as a disciple. For that reason, only the first half of the two-fold work of the Cross is preached.

I suspect that the Rich Young Ruler would have eagerly accepted Jesus as his Substitute – because the subtle implication is that since Jesus died on the Cross, I won’t have to die! But like all the other suggestions of the adversary, this too is only a partial truth. For the whole truth is that the work of the Cross is two-fold, and we can embrace both, or neither, but we cannot keep one and discard the other.

You may be concerned that if we make salvation contingent on discipleship then fewer people would get saved. That’s exactly the point. This is precisely what Jesus meant when He said, “Few find it” (Matthew 7:14b).

So what are we do to? Should we continue to give false comfort to those who are unwilling to take up their Cross, deny Self, and follow Jesus? By no means. Instead, let us endeavor to show others, by example, that the only way to Life is through Death; the only way to reign with Him is to suffer with Him; not those who hear, but those who hear and put into practice, are His true disciples.

May the Lord Jesus Himself bear witness of these things, that they are true. Amen.

Today's Prayer:  

Lord God. Thank You that I am saved because somebody told me the message of the cross, and I believed it. Forgive me for allowing that essential message to be displaced by other more self-serving messages. Please help me to pray and minister so that the people around me where I work and worship have a clear understanding of Jesus Christ who was crucified to save all who believe in Him. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

Hope for the Broken

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up. (Psalm 71:20)

The Psalmist here conveys the one feeling that keeps believers going even when they face bitter troubles in their earthly sojourn - HOPE. 

The world is filled with broken people. Every one of us tries to avoid the things that involve pain, suffering, and sorrow. Some of us are better at hiding it than others, but if we’re honest, we all have shame. We’ve all been damaged in one way or another. 

Millions of people all over the world are searching for a ray of hope. 

I recently heard a desperate person say that in the midst of her suffering and pain, the only thread of hope she could find was to repeat over and over the name, JESUS.

Thankfully, our God is a God of restoration.

So, poor hurting soul, I offer to you the handiwork of Our Lord Jesus Christ. His message is alive and well in the hearts of countless numbers of His followers around the globe. His voice is demonstrated with every helping hand reached out to the desperate all around us. 
His message is seen in every soup kitchen, homeless shelter, and act of Christian charity. His life can be seen in the kind eyes and generous hearts of His devoted followers. 

“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise  him, my Savior and my God”  (Psalm 42:5 NIV).

Isaiah spoke about Jesus hundreds of years before Jesus' birth. Isaiah put it this way,

 "A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out" (Isaiah 42:3).

Jesus came to bring hope to the world. Hope is so often in short supply in our world. Fear and negativity can cloud our vision of the future. Jesus has come for those whose hope is failing.

Matthew quoted him,...
 "He will not crush those who are weak, or quench the smallest hope, until he brings full justice with his final victory. And his name will be the hope of all the world" 
(Matthew 12:20-21).

His name is not only the hope of the world at large. He is the hope for the weakest and smallest person. He is the hope for us all. He takes us, weak as we are, and builds on the smallest glimmer of hope.

No matter what we face today, Jesus is our HOPE. Even if we're weak and our hope is small, He has come to give us a bright picture of tomorrow. We can rest in that.

So I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in Him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. 
(Romans 15:13)

We as believers in Jesus Christ can continually hope that God who has called us into fellowship with him through his son will surely deliver us, though we see troubles, many and bitter in our lives too.

We followers of Christ can offer HOPE  because of one man, one God, one Lord. 
- Our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Jesus desires to enter into our brokenness and bring wholeness to all areas of life. He wants to restore the places where our sin has brought pain or lessened our joy. 

When Jesus walked the earth, He was “full of the Holy Spirit” (Luke 4:1). 

He fulfilled His Father’s purpose to heal the sick, give sight to the blind, and heal the brokenhearted.

Without God, there can be no hope, no joy, no peace, and no true love. Without God, the world is bankrupt. And without His perfect love, the broken pieces of our lives will never be put back together.

You're not the only one who feels alone in your brokenness. Invite God to enter into your brokenness; He promise to bring peace and healing.

So invite Him into your brokenness. He wants to make you whole again.

Today's Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,
I invite You to come into the area of my life that has been completely shattered. Heal me, restore me, and give me the joy and peace that only You can bring. Amen.

Hope in Times of Despair

But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things. (Luke 23:49)

Those who knew and loved Jesus stood at a distance trying to assimilate what they were seeing. However, what appears to be the worst they could have imagined, is in actuality the very best that can possibly be! Is not this life for many of us?

We stand in a bereaved silence, stunned, staring at a particular circumstance that has crossed the path of our lives and quite literally taken our breath away. How can something so devastating turn out to be good? Though we know God has good plans, the “why’s?” of life often echo loudly in our minds, drowning out any thoughts of a higher purpose for good, oftentimes leaving us bereft of hope.

Paul’s words shout out to us:

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

“Now” we suffer from incomplete knowledge. It will only be when “now” becomes “then” that we shall understand fully and have all of our questions completely answered. The “in part” that we can comprehend and hold on to is His faithfulness to us, love for us, and intentions toward us. God always has our best interest at heart!

The message of the Old Testament reminds us:

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. (Deuteronomy 7:9)

Throughout our seeming devastation, God is in the business of making beauty from our ashes. Indeed, Jesus’ “job description” covers that very issue. We are told by the prophet Isaiah:

The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion–to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. (Isaiah 61:1-3)

 

Jesus Himself reads these very words from a scroll handed to Him in the synagogue, proclaiming to His hearers that this words have been fulfilled in their hearing:

He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” (Luke 4:16-21)

Jesus came to bring good news, bind up the brokenhearted, free the captive, proclaim God’s favor, comfort the mourning, bring beauty out of ashes, and restore gladness.–all of this coming our way by way of the cross.

What appeared as devastation to the onlookers mentioned in today’s verses all actuality become life to the full.


Take It to Heart

Sometimes it is hard for us to understand the God’s higher purposes for good when calamities occur. We must hold on to the promise of God’s Word that He will use these things for our good and for His glory. God has a plan and it is for always for our good!

“Faith raises the soul above the difficulty, straight to God Himself, and enables one to stand still. We gain nothing by our restless and anxious efforts … It is therefore true wisdom, in all times of difficulty and perplexity, to stand still–to wait only upon God, and He will assuredly open a way for us.” (C.H. Mackintosh)

“To the child of God, there is no such thing as an accident. He travels an appointed way … Accidents may indeed appear to befall him and misfortune stalk his way; but these evils will be so in appearance only and will seem evils only because we cannot read the secret script of God’s hidden providence.” (A.W. Tozer)

Today's Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father,
Holy LORD, thank you for today. Help me share my life with someone else who needs to experience your grace. Please help me notice those who are wounded and please give me the wisdom on the best way to lead them back to you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Wisdom and Favor

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:52)

Oh, the great economy of words in Scripture! Wouldn’t you like to know more about the childhood of Jesus than simply what this one verse tells us? Why on earth did God not tell us more? Unless, of course, this was sufficient? Scripture tells us that we are to walk as Jesus did:

Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.(1John 2:6)

Since God does everything perfectly, maybe we should examine this verse a bit deeper.

At first blush, these words appear to let us know that Jesus grew up. While it is perfectly normal and predictable for a child to grow physically, it is neither human nature nor predictable for a child to grow in wisdom and favor with God and men! Jesus, being both totally God and totally man, possessed in his precious infant body the “fullness of the God-head” (Colossians 1:19).

Just as his body was in the infant stage, so was His wisdom and favor. It was perfection for that stage. As He grew in stature, He also grew in wisdom and favor to perfection for each stage. While we will never reach perfection on this side of heaven, we are still called to pursue wisdom and favor. 

The Bible is filled with verses to this end:

Turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding. (Proverbs 2:2)

For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. (Proverbs 2:6-8)

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed. (Proverbs 3:13-18)

If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (Romans 12:18)

We are told in Scripture that in Christ are “hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). 

As we grow up in Christ, we grow up in wisdom, and with this we find favor with God and men. Have you ever noticed in Scripture how many years God takes in readying or growing up His vessels for use? Abraham waited twenty-five years for Isaac, the promised child of covenant; Joseph spent thirteen years in preparation before becoming a leader in Egypt; Moses was forty years tending sheep for his father-in-law; David, Paul, and many more all waited for the “time to fully come.” Even Jesus prepared for thirty years for His three year ministry. Just as building muscles takes time, growing in wisdom and holiness takes time.

Since we are commanded in Scripture to grow in wisdom and holiness. 

How do we go about making it happen? Here are a few suggestions:

* We must be in God’s Word daily. Even if it is just a verse, it is profitable.

* We must apply God’s truth to our life. What we learn by being in His word, we should apply. All the head knowledge in the world will not help us grow until it is actually fleshed out. We live what we believe to be true. And we grow or go backwards, whichever the case may be, as we live our lives. We must hide God’s Word in our hearts. This keeps us from sinning, strengthens our prayer life, and allows us to live a life that glorifies Him.

* We must pray, pray, pray.


The promise of Scripture is this:

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity.” (Jeremiah 29:13-14)

Take It to Heart

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)

Jesus, being both totally God and totally man, possessed in his precious infant body the “fullness of the God-head” (Colossians 1:19).

As Jesus grew in stature, He also grew in wisdom and favor to perfection for each stage.

While we will never reach perfection on this side of heaven, we are still called to pursue wisdom and favor.

As we grow up in Christ, we grow up in wisdom, and with this we find favor with God and men.

Following God's Plan

When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.”

So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled:

“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, “Get up, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who were trying to take the child’s life are dead.”

So he got up, took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning in Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Having been warned in a dream, he withdrew to the district of Galilee, and he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets: “He will be called a Nazarene.” (Matthew 2:13-22)

It’s not too difficult to discern one of the reasons why Joseph was picked to be the earthly father of our Lord Jesus: obedience. In the second of his four dreams, Joseph was told to get up and flee to Egypt because Jesus’ life was in danger. Joseph was neither aware of the specific danger nor how to avert it, and yet God directs him in precisely what to do. God even supplied the means by way of the gifts of the Magi. Everything was covered.

The safest place to be is always in the center of God’s will. Nothing ever takes God by surprise. To Joseph’s credit, when the angel of the Lord speaks to him in dreams, we discover him moving and moving quickly. So often we rebel against obedience by ignoring, delaying, questioning, dismissing, or fleeing from God’s directives. Seriously, when are we going to learn that God always has our best interest at heart? His way is often not the easiest way, but it is always the best way. It really boils down to trust.

The journey for Joseph and his young family to Egypt would be both inconvenient and perilous, yet Joseph remained steadfast to the heavenly vision he had received. He made no objection nor did he dawdle, but immediately got up and set out during the night making quick work of obedience.

Bit by bit the story continues to unfold for Joseph, Mary, and the baby Jesus. Certainly God, who makes known the end from the beginning, could have given Joseph all of His instructions at once. Yet, as He most often chooses to do, God makes His way known gradually–revealing His mind and way in increments. He does this in order for us to be reminded of His faithfulness in leading and also to teach us to continue to listen for His still, small voice–waiting upon His instructions and trusting in His ways as best for our lives.

God always goes before us. Waiting upon His leading teaches us a myriad of things, not the least of which is patience and obedience. It never comes easy to wait–it is far easier to take matters in our own hands and run ahead. But we get usually find ourselves in trouble when we pursue the devices of our own imaginations.

God sent Joseph and his young family into Egypt and then he brought them out. We can be sure there is always purpose in His plans. He is leading even when we cannot readily discern it.

Take It to Heart
“God is God. Because He is God, He is worthy of my trust and obedience. I will find rest nowhere but in His holy will, a will that is unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what He is up to.” (Elisabeth Elliot)

“In our walk with God we are told explicitly by Christ Himself that it would be His Spirit who would be sent to 'guide us and to lead us into all truth' (John 16:13). This same gracious Spirit takes the truth of God, the Word of God, and makes it plain to our hearts and minds and spiritual understanding. It is He who gently, tenderly, but persistently says to us, ‘This is the way–walk in it.’ And as we comply and cooperate with His gentle promptings a sense of safety, comfort and well-being envelops us.” (Phillip Keller)

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The safest place to be is always in the center of God’s will. Nothing ever takes God by surprise.

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Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.  (Psalm 27:11)

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God is good at being faithful!  - (James Bruce Evans)

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Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.” (Lamentations 3:21-24)

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He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.  (Deuteronomy 32:4)

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I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.  (Psalm 27:13-14)

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“We should follow Christ in simplicity and faith, because the paths in which He leads us all end in glory and immortality. It is true they may not be smooth paths–they may be covered with sharp flinty trials, but they lead to the ‘city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God' … All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of His covenant. Let’s put full trust in our Leader, since we know that, come prosperity or adversity, sickness or health, popularity or contempt, His purpose shall be worked out, and that purpose shall be pure, unmingled good to every heir of mercy … His dear love will make us far more blessed than those who sit at home and warm their hands at the world’s fire.”  - (Charles Spurgeon)

God with Us

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel–which means, “God with us.”

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. (Matthew 1:22-25)

We discover in our verses for today fulfilled prophecy. The Savior would be born of a virgin. God will fulfill His every Word! Jesus gives us a solemn declaration regarding this same principle later in Matthew in the Sermon on the Mount:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” (Matthew 5:17-18)

Since Matthew was writing primarily to a Jewish audience, the fulfillment of prophecy is consistently brought to the forefront. In the second chapter alone, we discover no less than four occurrences of prophecy being fulfilled through the life of Jesus. Matthew was ever pointing his audience to the fact that Jesus was indeed their long awaited Messiah!

In our verses today, Matthew cites the prophecy from the pen of Isaiah–almost word for word:

"Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel." (Isaiah 7:14)

The Savior of the world did not come from an empress or a queen. He did not appear with outward pomp or splendor. Rather, leaving His glory behind, He arrives in the womb of a poor young virgin, a reflection of spiritual purity. The highest and holiest entered this world through the most humble of doors.

The name “Immanuel” assures the people of God’s continued presence. To be sure, He is a “with us” God! Isn’t that wonderful news? The writer of Hebrews affirms this:
"God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.' So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?'” (Hebrew 13:5-6)

God’s encouraging Word through the Prophet Isaiah comes to mind: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)

We see the faithfulness of Joseph as he is obedient to God’s commands. He did not let his earthly concerns distract him from the eternal matter of obedience to the will of God. There was no delay in his actions. God was his strength and God’s presence was Joseph’s comfort and consolation.

We will always discover the sufficiency of our Lord Jesus when we follow His way and rely upon His strength and wisdom. With Him, nothing lacks value--even though at first blush, as in the case of Joseph, it seems difficult, confusing, and scary. God’s ways are not the ways of man.

Christ left His glory in heaven and entered the earth through humble doors and he lived out His earthly life in perfect obedience to the Father. He was despised and rejected, and yet, in the end, He was exalted: "Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11)

Take It to Heart

“Tarry not for a convenient time. The movings of the Spirit are never convenient to the interests of the flesh, and I shall engineer your circumstances to conform to My plan and My will. You will glorify Me; for My plan for you excels all other ways, and in the center of My will is a perpetual fountain of glory. Do not doubt or hesitate, for I the Lord your God go before you.

You already have My promise that the work I begin I am able to carry through to completion. Yes, there is already laid up an exceeding weight of glory for those who go through with Me and determine to seize the prize. For I have wealth beyond your fondest dreams to bestow upon those who have left all to follow Me. All the glittering enticements of this transient life are as chaff in comparison, for God’s gifts and calling never waver, and My giving is restricted only by the will and choice of the recipient.” (Frances J. Roberts)

Betrayed

While he was still speaking a crowd came up, and the man who was called Judas, one of the Twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him, but Jesus asked him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, “Lord, should we strike with our swords?” And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.

But Jesus answered, “No more of this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.
(Luke 22:47-51)

In these verses we see the angry crowd led by one of Jesus’ own disciples–Judas. Judas, one of Jesus’ closest friends, betrays Him with a kiss. How ironic! To us, a kiss is generally a sweet sign of love, and in Bible times it was an act of friendship. Yet Judas desecrates and abuses it. Hmmm … I wonder how often we desecrate and abuse what is sweet and good?

“Man sees your actions, but God, your motives.”  (Thomas a Kempis)

“Beware of no man more than of yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us.”
(Charles Spurgeon)

God is looking for obedient behavior from His children stemming from proper motives! I am reminded of David’s words to his son Solomon regarding the building of the temple:

And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work. (1 Chronicles 28:9-10)

Have you ever noticed that there are simply no secrets hidden from Jesus? Knowing full well who was to betray Him, Jesus was aware of Judas’ “secret” sign which would show the crowd accompanying him exactly who they were looking for to arrest.

I am reminded of God’s words in Jeremiah:

Can anyone hide in secret places so that I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the LORD. (Jeremiah 23:24)

Nothing is outside the realm of God’s omniscience–nothing!

I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things. (Isaiah 45:5-7)

I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say: 

My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. (Isaiah 46:10)

Betrayals
If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend. (Psalm 55:12-13)

"You will always be attacked in the place of your inheritance," said the man sitting across the breakfast table. "God has called you to bring people together and to impact other people's lives as a result of this anointing in your life. You must make sure that you seek to maintain righteousness in all of your relationships." Those words came from someone who had the wisdom and authority to speak them to me.

I have had a number of close relationships that ended in betrayal. I am very loyal to my friends and those with whom I have covenant relationships. Yet there are times that no matter how righteous you are, when someone means to betray you, he will do it. Loving those who betray you is "graduate-level Christianity." The religious community and one of His closest friends betrayed Jesus. Those who were closest to David betrayed him. Joseph's own family betrayed him. Loving our enemies cannot be accomplished by mustering it up. It can only happen when we have come to a death in ourselves so that Christ can love through us. It is truly one of those acts of identifying with the cross.


If you are a leader, you can be sure God will allow you to experience betrayal. It is one of those courses in the Kingdom that may not be required until God has seen that you have successfully passed other tests. It is the most difficult and most gut-wrenching of all tests. A godly response goes against all that is in us. Our natural response is to protect, retaliate, and retain unforgiveness and bitterness. Our natural response is satan's most powerful weapon; to overcome it requires much grace from God. Ask God to build His nature in you now so that when such attacks come, you will be aware that it is a test and you will respond in righteousness.

Take It to Heart

“Jesus is the One who shows us the paradoxical route to meaning in a chaotic and hostile world. It’s the paradox of the gospel: Strength is found in weakness. Control is found in dependency. Power is found in surrender … God uses the frustrations of this life and the hurt of relationships to compel us to look beyond what we can control to the God who controls all things in order to woo us to himself. As we move from control to surrender, we move from chasing the wind under the sun to embracing God above it.”

(Dan Allender, Breaking the Idols of You)