In our lives whenever we strive in faithfulness and obedience to God to be good, the devil is there to deceive and destroy.
At Christmas time many people focus on the Christmas tree and the manger scene. They focus on Jesus as a baby and helpless. Jesus grew to manhood.
I always remember Jesus’ truth:
John 8.54-58
Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.” “You are not yet fifty years old,” the Jews said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!”
Jesus is concealed in the Old Covenant and we see Almighty God’s revelation of Jesus coming in this Psalm:
Psalm 2.6-9
“I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.” I will proclaim the decree of the Lord: He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father. Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. You will rule them with an iron scepter ; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”
This wonderful reality is a great encouragement to us. It is an eternal truth about the LORD’s Anointed – the eternal Second Person of the Holy Trinity – The Anointed One – Messiah – The Holy One – Jesus the King.
Our loving, merciful and faithful LORD (YAHWEH), Father, Son and Holy Spirit taught through Holy Scripture 700BC that the Messiah was to come:
Isaiah 9.1-2, 6-7
“Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honour Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan. The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.
Around the same time the Father revealed the place where His Only Begotten Son would come in His Second Nature – His humanity:
Micah 5.2
“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times. “
And Jesus was born:
Matthew 2.4-6
“When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Christ was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written”: ‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.’ “
Saint Mark records the truth of Jesus’ mission focusing on His miracles with events happening quickly. We are left in no doubt that Jesus is the Son of God:
Mark 1.1, 9-11, 15
1 “The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven:
11 “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
15 “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!”
Notice above we clearly see the Holy Trinity defined – the Holy Spirit – like a dove – the Son and the Father’s voice. Jesus’ baptism was not for sin but to identify with our sinful fallen humanity.
One truth in Holy Scripture about Christ the King has always encouraged me through the Holy Spirit’s guidance:
John 1.45-51
“Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote-Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false.” “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked. Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel.” Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that.” He then added, “I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”
Verse 51 confirms Jacob’s dream c1800BC:
Genesis 28.12-15
“He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the Lord , and he said: “I am the Lord , the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
From John 1.51 we know that Jesus himself is the bridge between heaven and earth, between our history and His eternity. Our history is His Story.
Jesus is the Glorious Lord and King of all the earth. May I encourage you with the life of Saul – the Apostle Paul.
Philippians 3.1-7
He said of himself: “Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those men who do evil, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh – though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.”
Paul continues to Timothy:
1 Timothy 1.15-17
“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners – of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.”
Jesus is conquering His enemies:
Revelation 17.14
“they will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings–and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”
At this Christmas time, we as Our Lord’s faithful Covenant Nations give thanks for our Christian civilization and way of life so faithfully ministered in the Church acknowledging the Coronation service which “has changed little since Archbishop Dunstan at the coronation of King Edgar at Bath in AD 973.” [1]This is a great joy that “the executive power…. is vested in the Queen… and She says it is all subject to the Power and Empire of Christ!”[2]
When we simply believe, trust and obey Jesus our eternal life has begun for:
Acts 4.12
“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of lords. Jesus is King of Glory. Jesus is our eternal hope.
We cannot outlive him.
We cannot live without Him.
[1] Australian Sovereignty and Unfaithful Governance by Rev. Dr Graham Whelan OAM p. 58-62
[2] Ibid