Gods Great Love Fellowships With Us - Part 4 of 6

The Carpenter is God in the flesh, He is fully clothed with the Spirit and Power from Heaven, equipped and ready to begin His ministry to save the world of its sin! Let us peer into the unfolding of the most glorious work known in the universe, just for us!

(4) The God-man fellowships with His greatest creation!

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Please note that some of the content contained within the Reflection Moments depicted here is not recorded in the scriptures. They are merely human attempts to relate and ask some questions of certain aspects of the Son of God, which may help you see the Savior’s human side of His divine life on earth. Secondly, I haven't covered every aspect of His ministry here but have tried to keep it concise covering some milestone markers of it. You the reader are encouraged to continue your studies to glean more of the mind of Christ from His Word, the Bible.

Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,

By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,

Galilee of the Gentiles:

The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,

And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death

Light has dawned.”

From that time Jesus began to preach and to say,

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

(Matthew 4:12-17)

Jesus public declaration about the "Kingdom of Heaven" being imminent now takes us full circle to the beginning of the universe when the Godhead created it! “And God called the firmament Heaven. So the evening and the morning were the second day” (Gen 1:8). Only this time, heaven is not just a place, it’s now fast going to become an active kingdom (His church) saving men and overcoming evil with a King seated as its sovereign! A stark difference from the centuries long kingdoms of the earth. And even these kingdoms of man were given over to them by God who had raised them up, and brought them down, even to the present.

God’s prophet Daniel around 570 BC gives us a vivid picture of this rising and falling. His interpretation of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream ends with this new kingdom of heaven Jesus is now proclaiming being at hand.

“You, O king, are a king of kings. For the God of heaven has given you a kingdom, power, strength, and glory; and wherever the children of men dwell, or the beasts of the field and the birds of the heaven, He has given them into your hand, and has made you ruler over them all—you are this head of gold. But after you shall arise another kingdom inferior to yours; then another, a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. And the fourth kingdom shall be as strong as iron, inasmuch as iron breaks in pieces and shatters everything; and like iron that crushes, that kingdom will break in pieces and crush all the others. Whereas you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; yet the strength of the iron shall be in it, just as you saw the iron mixed with ceramic clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly fragile. As you saw iron mixed with ceramic clay, they will mingle with the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.” (Daniel 2:37-44)

And this new kingdom will be inhabited by saints (Daniel 7:18).

“But the saints of the Most High shall receive the kingdom, and possess the kingdom forever, even forever and ever.”

An Earthbound Messiah?

The Jewish community had for centuries anticipated, or had a mood of expectancy that God would set up His rule visibly and powerfully among them in Jerusalem. Not in an invisible, spiritual kingdom. There were many Jewish prayers attesting to this including one of the most famous – The Qaddish Prayer that said, “May He set up His sovereignty in your lifetime, and in your days, and in the lifetime of the whole house of Israel, speedily and in a time that is near.”

Jesus will later under bitter rejection claim that He is the King of this kingdom of heaven. Nonetheless, Jesus will in a most powerful and glorious way, prove His naysayers wrong.

Reflection Moment

We can begin to see as we related in our previous lesson, the God-man’s preaching of the gospel of the kingdom of heaven is going to be stiffly challenged, rebuked having Jesus, this lone young man born of Mary the object of wrath with His countrymen. They literally want to kill Him on the very first day of His ministry. He desires more mouthpieces to proclaim the good news of the kingdom, He begins to seek out some men to teach and bestow all that He knows in the Spirit. Jesus is fully aware of His deity, and he is fully aware of His humanity and its constraints. But He has never sinned nor does sin reside in Him. It must be clearly understood that the God-man Jesus possesses two simultaneous natures while on earth at all times or the whole bible falls flat on its face! With this in mind, why wouldn’t He summon an angel or two to take care of business instead of beginning a search for other human beings to assist spreading the new news of the kingdom?

In keeping this short and concise, we humans since the fall of Adam and Eve disobeying God in the garden possess what is called “free will thinking.” You can review this state of ours before the Godhead in Genesis 3:7-24. Essentially, as soon as Adam and Eve disobeyed the command and bit into the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, their eyes were opened and suddenly, they realized they were without cover, and hid themselves. The result of that single decision to bite was the moment free-will thinking occurred for they had no reason to hide themselves prior to the infraction. They and we now possess a conscience and as the bible says “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil” (Gen 3:22). Take special note to the singular "one."

With this background said, God desires us to choose Him from our disobediently earned free will. He wants all to be saved (1 Tim 2:3-4) but our heart must feel and our head must know the need on our own free will to seek the truth and again, obey Him. This is the spiritual battle for our hearts and minds. Not a battle of flesh and physical matters. This ministry is about the invisible kingdom of heaven centered on the heart of man we are about to unfold. Secondly, having the foreknowledge He would have to endure the cross, Jesus teachings and work to establish His church (Matt 16:18) would come by the Spirit through men after He is ascended. We are getting ahead but this is a very simplistic background to Gods motivation to select the twelve disciples who later become Apostles.

~ God Fellowships with Man in Person ~

After Jesus had endured the temptation in the wilderness, He “returned to Galilee in the power of the Holy Spirit.” He tried to speak in His hometown of Nazareth, but was rejected (Mark 6:1-6). So spiritually blinded were the people of the synagogue that they tried to kill Jesus by attempting to throw Him off a cliff. Jesus then chose to establish His base and a new team in Capernaum, a town nearby, on the edge of the Sea of Galilee.

Jesus could have chosen prominent influential figures to help spread the gospel of the kingdom of heaven He was about to teach them, but He knew this type of person would think they knew more than others and would cause attention to themselves. Many of these disciples were hard working fishermen. He chose everyday men so they could learn the simple lessons of the Kingdom of God and eventually spread those teachings to mankind when they became Apostles full of power and knowledge. For the masses of mankind will listen to one on their level of life over an elite who really cannot identify with the average citizen.

Yet what is amazing, with the salvation of all of mankind’s subsequent billions of souls being on the line, God chose to utilize His Son and just twelve people out of millions to bring the message of the kingdom of heaven to light! It’s a breathtaking thought that so much could be accomplished through so little, with the help of the Holy Spirits power (Acts 1:8).

Each of the twelve had their issues in society and weren’t by any means the perfect candidates by worldly standards. I will say though, these men Jesus chose were not by accident. With much prayer the night before selecting them, He fervently with love sought to fulfill the will of God, the Father. “. . . Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God” (Luke 6:12). Jesus knew their hearts and minds out of all the other possible candidates that followed Him, He knew their weaknesses and strengths, and He also knew their development of faith and commitment to Him would be fruitful. Did they know just how demanding and dangerous following Jesus would be? Were they aware how much they would have to give up to serve Him and later, in the church after Jesus ascension back to heaven? Most likely not.

These men would not only become His followers, but individuals who would be closest to Him. In every way, the Son of God chose to be vulnerable (loving) to these individuals because he already knew the hard road ahead, they didn't. Love and faith in God's promises would eventually overcome all of their fears for the kingdom of heaven was at hand! May we get to know them a little?

ANDREW

Andrew was the brother of Peter, and a son of Jonas. He lived in Bethsaida and Capernaum and was a fisherman before Jesus called him.

BARTHOLOMEW

Bartholomew Nathanael, son of Talmai, lived in Cana of Galilee. He developed into a man of complete surrender to the Carpenter of Nazareth, and one of the Church's most adventurous missionaries.

JAMES, THE ELDER

James, the Elder, son of Zebedee was a fisherman who lived in Bethsaida, Capernaum and Jerusalem. He preached in Jerusalem and Judea.

JAMES, THE LESSER (Or Younger)

James, the Lesser or Younger, son of Alpheus, or Cleophas and Mary, lived in Galilee. He was the brother of the Apostle Jude and wrote the Epistle of James.

JOHN

John, son of Zebedee and brother of James, the Apostle. He was known as the Beloved Disciple. A fisherman who lived in Bethsaida, Capernaum and Jerusalem, He wrote the Gospel of John, I John, II John, III John and Revelation.

JUDAS

Judas Iscariot, the traitor, was the son of Simon who lived in Kerioth of Judah. He betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver and afterwards hanged himself (Matthew 26:14,16).

JUDE

Jude, was the son of Alpheus or Cleophas and Mary. He was a brother of James the Younger. He was one of the very little-known Apostles and lived in Galilee. In Mark 3:18 he is called Thaddeus. In Matthew 10:3 he is called Lebbeus. His surname was Thaddeus.

MATTHEW

Matthew, or Levi, son of Alpheus, lived in Capernaum. He was a publican or tax collector. He wrote the Gospel that bears his name. He died a martyr in Ethiopia.

PETER

Simon Peter, son of Jonas, was a fisherman who lived in Bethsaida and Capernaum. He authored the two New Testament epistles which bear his name. His Greek name was Simon (Mark 1:16; John 1:40, He was a married man (1Corinthians 9:5) and his home was Capernaum.

PHILIP

Philip came from Bethsaida, the town from which Peter and Andrew came (John 1:44). The likelihood is that he, too, was a fisherman. The Gospel of John shows Philip as one of the first of many to whom Jesus addressed the words, "Follow Me."

SIMON

Simon, the Zealot, one of the little-known followers called the Canaanite or Zelotes, lived in Galilee. In two places in the King James Version he is called a Canaanite (Matthew 10:4; Mark 3:18). However in the other two places he is called Simon Zelotes (Luke 6:15; Acts 1:13).

THOMAS

Thomas Didymus lived in Galilee. Thomas was his Hebrew name and Didymus was his Greek name. At times he was called Judas. Thomas to put his finger in the nail holes in the risen Jesus hands and in His side where the spear struck Him. Here, we see Thomas making the greatest confession of faith, "My Lord and my God." Thomas' doubts were transformed into faith.

Reflection Moment

You may beg the question, "Why only twelve?" The number 12 in Jewish culture is a significant number for a myriad of reasons. In the interest of space and time lets point out two reasons Jesus may have chosen what would amount to only 12 disciples to help carry out His work. The prominent reason is based upon the fact that Israel had 12 tribes beginning with Jacobs 12 sons (Gen 49:1-28). Another possibility is where Jesus states “when the Son of Man (Christ) is sitting on the throne in His glory, they who followed Him will also sit on the twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Matt 19:28, Rev 21:14). In addition, the number 12 is frequently suggested as completeness and perfection.

~ Jesus Teaches ~

Martyrdom surely was always on the mind and in the forefront of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Teacher. He was then and today is fully aware the fact of danger and sacrifice are cornerstone realities of His ministry to a fallen, sinful world of paganism and lawbreakers. He is also acutely aware that the children of Israel, down to these twelve handpicked disciples will have to confront ages of tradition and even His Fathers own Law which in about three years will be set aside, nailed to the cross! How will Jesus break the news, how will He not scare the chosen away from heaven’s plan to redeem mankind?  Do they have any idea what kind of road they are about to travel with the Savior? Nope, they sure don’t. He will offensively and lovingly teach them the difficulty as they follow Him from tears for His close friend Lazarus all the way to the cruel cross that awaits Him.

Christ Fulfills the Law

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled” (Matthew 5:17-18). The question before for us - When will all be fulfilled?

There are reams of truth and life principles in the New Testament of Jesus teachings that can fill a large municipal library! In the interest of space I am listing some of Jesus most important time tested gospel teachings here. Hover your cursor over the scripture to read.


(1) The Greatest Commandment

Then one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him, “Which is the first commandment of all?” Jesus answered him, “The first of all the commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.” (Mark 12:28-29)

Jesus said loving God is the most important of all the commandments. But what does loving God really mean? Here are six ways that Jesus taught us to express and demonstrate our love for God:

• Know and Obey God's Commandments (John 14:21)
• Trust in God and Jesus (John 14:1, Luke 18:17)
• Put God Above All Else (Luke 9:25, Luke 13:35)
• Be Committed (Matt 16:24-26)
• Be Humble before God and Other People (Matt 23:11-12)
• Make Time for Prayer (Matt 7:7-11)

(2) The Second Greatest Commandment

"The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:31)

• Who Is My Neighbor? Luke 6:27-38, Luke 10:25-37)
• Forgive Others. (Matt 5:38-39, Matt 6:14-15)
• Help the Needy. (Matt 25:31-46, Luke 6:38, Mark 12:41-44)
• Follow the Golden Rule. (Matt 7:1-5, Matt 7:12, John 8:3-11)

Jesus could hardly have made things plainer. His disciples are not meant to live hard-hearted or self-centered lives. They are called to die to themselves and put their faith into practice and truly love their neighbors, especially those less fortunate. These are revolutionary principles of a new way of life brought forth from heaven.

(3) Jesus taught in Parables

But when He was alone, those around Him with the twelve asked Him about the parable. And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And their sins be forgiven them.’” (Mark 4:10-12)

Jesus quoted from Isaiah 6:9-10. The prophet Isaiah had found that people were so lost in sin that they resented hearing God's Word and deliberately turned away. Jesus experienced the same disappointment and frustration. Thus, the most common interpretation of Jesus' saying is that the people's hardness of heart (pride, arrogance and prejudice) prevented them from understanding and accepting Jesus' teachings. Jesus spoke his parables; he meant them to flash into men's minds and to reveal the truth of God. But in so many eyes he saw a dull incomprehension. He saw so many people blinded by prejudice, deafened by wishful thinking, too lazy to think. He turned to his disciples and he said to them: "Do you remember what Isaiah once said? He said that when he came with God's message to God's people Israel in his day they were so dully un-understanding that you would have thought that God had shut instead of opening their minds; I feel like that to-day." When Jesus said this, he did not say it in anger, or irritation, or bitterness, or exasperation. He said it with the longing of frustrated love, the poignant sorrow of a man who had a tremendous gift to give which people were too blind to take.  (Barclay on Mark 4:1-12)

Parables about the Kingdom of God

The kingdom of God is the centerpiece of Jesus' teachings. For hundreds of years, the Jews had been expecting the decisive intervention of God to restore the glory of Israel and defeat its enemies. When John the Baptist and then Jesus proclaimed that the kingdom was at hand, it was expected by the Jews to actually take place on earth forevermore. However, the kingdom initiated by Jesus is not the earthly kingdom that was widely inferred from the Old Testament prophesies. It is a spiritual kingdom that is now growing in the hearts of men and women, and it will find its fulfillment in the eventual sovereign rule of God and defeat of all evil. People who choose to belong to God's kingdom and serve Him are those who are destined to inherit eternal life in God's presence.

The Parable of the Sower

Jesus often compared the kingdom of God to a seed planted in the hearts of men and women. He tells of this aspect of the kingdom in His Parable of the Sower:

On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Matthew 13:1-9)

This is one of the Parables that Jesus explained privately for His disciples, and here is His explanation:

“Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” (Matthew 13:18-23)

There are many ways of responding to God's word. Some may hear it but reject it. Some may accept it but not act on it. The lesson of this parable is that we must hear, believe, repent and act on God's word by obeying the gospel.

Just as the farmer scatters seed throughout the field, God gives His word to the entire world.

Just as the seed cannot take root on the trampled and hardened path, God's word is rejected by people having hearts hardened by pride and hatred.

Just as the seed that falls on shallow soil wilts in the sun, some people have shallow faith. They are enthusiastic about God's word until it becomes inconvenient or makes demands on them. Then they fall away.

Just as the seed that falls among thorns is crowded out, God's word can be crowded out by worries, worldly thinking and pursuit of wealth.

Just as the seed that falls on good soil yields a bountiful crop, God's word is fruitful in people who listen, understand and obey. The kingdom of God yields great results in and through these people.

Related verses: Matthew 5:16, 6:25, 10:22, 2 Corinthians 4:8-10, James 2:14-17, John 3:36, 1 Peter 4:17, 2 Thessalonians 3:13, 1 Timothy 6:10, James 1:22-25, 1 John 2:9.

Parable of the Mustard Seed. (Matt 13:31-32)

Parable of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price. (Matt 13:44-46)

Parable of the Wheat and the Weeds. (Matt 13:24-30, Matt 13:36-43)

Parables of Gods Love, Mercy and Forgiveness

Parable of the Lost Sheep. (Luke 15:4-7)

Parable of the Prodigal Son. (Luke 15:11-32)

Parables of Christian Love

Parable of the Good Samaritan. (Luke 10:25-37)

Parable of the Unmerciful Servant. (Matt 18:21-35)

Persistent Prayer

Persistent Widow. (Luke 18:1-8)

Self-Righteousness and Humility

Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. (Luke 18:9-14)

Stewardship

Parable of the Talents. (Matt 25:14-30)

Preparation for the Future

Parable of the Rich Fool. (12:15-21)

Parable of the Wise and Foolish Bridesmaids. (Matt 25:1-13)

Parable of the Final Judgment. (Matt 25:31-46)

Reflection Moment

Wasn't this Mary and Joseph's son (Mark 6:3)? No longer ladies and gentlemen. The carpenter from Galilee is now building spiritual houses within the hearts of men! This is God in the flesh speaking to the disciples and us today from the "mind of God". Jesus speaks to His creation in parables. He is the master teacher often having an unexpected twist or surprise ending that catches our attention driving home the parable's lesson. The parables give us an insight into heavenly and spiritual concepts that cannot be expressed in mere words. They also give us a much richer understanding of the kingdom of God and its values, which are often the opposite of worldly values. Without understanding the parables, it is impossible to fully understand Jesus and His teachings. Read and meditate on them often.

~ Jesus Miracles & Healing's ~

Exactly what is a Miracle?

A miracle is an event which the forces of nature—including the natural powers of man—cannot of themselves produce, and which must, therefore, be referred to a supernatural agency (Fisher 1900). A miracle is a divine operation that transcends what is normally perceived as natural law; it cannot be explained upon any natural basis.

I think people use the term rather loosely and not at all in a scriptural sense. And what are those tell-tale traits that identify the miracle and distinguish them from a natural phenomenon? Are these miracles just a hoax, a display of magic and Jesus a liar? Second, what was the design of those “wonders” which are described so dramatically in the Bible.

The miracles recorded in the Bible fall into several categories:

First, there are supernatural acts of creation. Certain creation activities were accomplished by the word of God (Hebrews 11:3); He merely spoke, and it was done (Psalm 33:9). Obviously, this type of divine action is not being duplicated today since the creation process of the material universe was concluded at the end of the initial week of earth’s history (Genesis 2:1-2).

Second, there were miracles which involved a temporary and localized suspension of laws regulating nature. Jesus calmed a ferocious storm on the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 8:23-27), and, on another occasion, he walked upon the waters of the lake (John 6:16-21).

Third, there were signs which involved the healing of man’s physical body. The blind were made to see (John 9:1-7), and the lame to walk (Acts 3:1-10).

Fourth, there were signs demonstrating divine power over death. Lazarus, dead four days, was raised (John 11:43-44), and, of course, the resurrection of Christ is the very foundation of the Christian system (1 Corinthians 15:16-19).

Fifth, some of the wonders of the New Testament age had to do with the expulsion of demons that had entered into human bodies (Matthew 12:22ff). This was evidence of the fact that the Savior’s power was superior to that of Satan.

Sixth, the exhibition of divine authority was seen in the manipulation of certain material things. Christ turned water into wine (John 2:1-11), and multiplied a lad’s loaves and fishes, so that thousands were fed (John 6:1-14).

Seventh, miraculous power was demonstrated in both the plant and animal kingdoms. Balaam’s donkey spoke with a man’s voice (Numbers 22:28), and the Lord Jesus, in an object lesson relative to the impending destruction of Jerusalem, destroyed a fig tree with but a word from his mouth (Matthew 21:19).

How can we know these miracles are Genuine?

A supernatural display of divine power is not an arguable proposition; it is a dramatic, demonstrable fact. Nowhere in the New Testament is there a record of a divine spokesman arguing for the validity of miracles. No logical scheme is needed to establish such a case. Miracles either happen, or they don’t.


These are the gospel accounts of the miracles of Jesus, though this is an incomplete list according to Gods Holy Word in John 21:25: "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written."

Jesus born of a Virgin (Matt 1:18).
Jesus changed water into wine (John 2:1-11).
Jesus cured the nobleman's son (John 4:46-47).
The first great haul of fishes (Luke 5:1-11).
Jesus cast out an unclean spirit (Mark 1:23-28).
Jesus cured Peter's mother-in-law of a fever (Mark 1:30-31).
Jesus healed a leper (Mark 1:40-45).
Jesus healed the centurion's servant (Matthew 8:5-13).
Jesus raised the widow's son from the dead (Luke 7:11-18).
Jesus stilled the storm (Matthew 8:23-27).
Jesus cured two demon possessed men (Matthew 8:28-34).
Jesus cured the paralytic (Matthew 9:1-8).
Jesus raised the ruler's daughter from the dead (Matthew 9:18-26).
Jesus cured a woman of an issue of blood (Luke 8:43-48).
Jesus opened the eyes of two blind men (Matthew 9:27-31).
Jesus loosened the tongue of a man who could not speak (Matthew 9:32-33).
Jesus healed an invalid man at the pool called Bethesda (John 5:1-9).
Jesus restored a withered hand (Matthew 12:10-13).
Jesus cured a demon-possessed man (Matthew 12:22).
Jesus fed at least five thousand people (Matthew 14:15-21).
Many are healed at Gennesaret (Matt 14:34-36).
Jesus healed a woman of Canaan (Matthew 15:22-28).
Jesus cured a deaf and mute man (Mark 7:31-37).
Jesus fed at least four thousand people (Matthew 15:32-39).

Jesus walks on water (Matt 14:25).
Jesus opened the eyes of a blind man (Mark 8:22-26).
Jesus cured a boy who was plagued by a demon (Matthew 17:14-21).
Jesus opened the eyes of a man born blind (John 9:1-38).
Jesus cured a boy of a deaf and dumb spirit (Mark 9:14-29).
Jesus cures Bartimaeus of blindness (Mark 10:46-52).
Jesus cured a woman who had been afflicted eighteen years (Luke 13:10-17).
The second great haul of fishes (John 21:1-14).
Jesus cured a man of dropsy (Luke 14:1-4).
Jesus cleansed ten lepers (Luke 17:11-19).
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-46).
Jesus opened the eyes of two blind men (Matthew 20:30-34).
Jesus caused the fig tree to wither (Matthew 21:18-22).
Jesus restored the ear of the high priest's servant (Luke 22:50-51).
Jesus rose from the dead (Luke 24:5-6).
Jesus ascends into Heaven (Luke 24:50-53).

Reflection Moment

When Jesus performed these miracles, wonders and signs (Acts 2:22), even his Jewish enemies did not deny the effect of such; they merely attempted to attribute his power to some other source (e.g., Satan; cf. Matthew 12:24). How tragic that these wonderful works of God are passed over and brushed away. When one closely reads about these wonderful works, there is always an element of faith involved that the Lord notices of the requester before He performs the gift. In modern times today the lack of belief and faith in the power of God to save mankind from his sins is still if not even more so rejected as mysticism and blind faith. Gods word says, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe the He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6). So, its no surprise worldly people have not an ear for God. Nothing has changed of mankind then and now save for the fact, the truth of Christ is His light that shines in the darkness. His great love for us is now clearly shown by His choosing of the 12, His teachings and His presence with them in fellowship. We can now see the love for His ultimate creation, Us, in action to the point of calling upon the Father to bring forth His mighty power in healings and miracles. There now is no excuse not to believe in Him!

In six of the miracles of Christ listed, His compassion is mentioned as a factor in them. The miracles that speak of His compassion include the feeding of the 5,000 (Matthew 14:14), the feeding of the 4,000 (Matthew 15:32), the healing of the two blind men (Matthew 20:34), the healing of the leper (Mark 1:41), the exorcism of the demons in Gadara (Mark 5:19), and resurrecting the son of the widow of Nain (Luke 7:13-14). His compassion is present in every miracle He performed, but only in these six is it mentioned.

Jesus was and is the most compassionate of all mankind (Hebrews 4:15). Often when things do not go well for some people, they complain that Christ does not care. That complaint is unjustified: Scripture shows abundantly that He does care—a great deal more than we realize. It is not Christ who is uncaring, but humans. We lack compassion for God the Father, for His Son, and for one another.

How much more does the Master teacher, the Son of God among men have to do in order for people to repent and believe on Him? If miracles wont do it, if words of incredible depth of truth put in simple terms for the common man wont do it, if actual fulfillment of Old Testament prophesy through Himself wont do it, what will? 

The bible says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)

This is a pretty bad report. In fact, its so bad, we nor the people Jesus confronted long ago can do enough good deeds or pay recompense enough for a thousand years to erase just one single solitary sin! God will have to allow His only Son to pay the debt He didn't owe, the debt we can never pay!

Now we begin to see a faint image of the cross of Christ take form before Him. The perfect sin offering that will satisfy Gods divine justice is about to break bread with us.



Next week we explore, The God-man Breaks Bread with His Creation.

1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6

Gods Great Love Pursues Us - Part 3 of 6

In our continuing exploration of Gods Great Love For Us, Jesus, the Son of God is as best we can tell, 30 years of age... What comes next is a determined pure act of love. Jesus would make a decision as both a human servant and as God in the flesh just for us!

(3) Jesus leaves the wood shop, More than a Carpenter!

Please note that some of the content contained within the Reflection Moments depicted here is not recorded in the scriptures. They are merely human attempts to relate and ask some questions of certain aspects of the Son of God, which may help you see the Savior’s human side of His divine life on earth.

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God speaks the following:

"But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law , that we might receive the adoption as sons." (Gal 4:4-5)

Reflection Moment

It’s a splendid night with all its stars and planets and the millions of heavenly hosts watching in the Judean sky. In the fullness of time this newly created dawn like no other anticipates a great change. For the fabric of the universe is suddenly brought still awaiting His love cry.

Jesus sets His wooden mallet down on the old worn out workbench. He places the wood chisels and drill bits in their resting place for the last time. He does a final sweeping and picking up of the sanding dust on the floor he stood upon with divine feet for over 25 years. Then, for the last time as He peers outside the old wood shop full of furniture and such made with His divine hands, he humbly says, “I am coming Father.” 

With these first steps in all of mankind out of this very special wood shop, Jesus the Son of God begins to place one divine foot in front of the other toward heaven again. He knows he will never return to laugh and converse with customers about their hand made stool or bench he personally made for them. He knows exactly who he is and what his purpose is. That, the tears now flowing down his divine cheeks are tears of suffering and great joy. For the Savior has hung up his tools and sweat band trading them for an eternal crown. With just sandals on his feet and clothing on his back, having no money or provisions, with great love He begins the journey that will save mankind. God Pursue's Us!

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

Now in the fifteenth year (29 AD) of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." (Luke 3:1-3)

“Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

John preached about the coming kingdom and the need to repent. The Palestine in which the prophet’s ministry was launched was firmly in the grip of a grossly pagan force, the Roman empire. Edersheim graphically describes the conditions of the time.

“It has been rightly said, that the idea of conscience, as we understand it, was unknown to heathenism. Absolute right did not exist. Might was right. The social relations exhibited, if possible, even deeper corruption. The sanctity of marriage had ceased. Female dissipation and the general dissoluteness led at last to an almost entire cessation of marriage. Abortion, and the exposure and murder of newly-born children, were common and tolerated; unnatural vices, which even the greatest philosophers practiced, if not advocated, attained proportions which defy description.”

Moral corruption had made deep inroads into Judaism as well. It was into this world that John came with his piercing message: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Mt. 3:2; cf. Mk. 1:4).

John’s message of “repentance” entailed a deep consciousness of offense to God within the sinner’s heart, with a required reformation of life. When he saw superficial Hebrews submitting to his immersion, void of any radical change of conduct, he rebuked them: “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth, therefore, fruit worthy of repentance” (Mt. 3:7-8).

Jesus first walk of love for us equaling at least 3 marathons is completed. Once John see's Him coming his way, he says, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" 

The timing was perfect. Jesus pursued us finding John and is now with us never looking back! He is about to be witnessed by His Father, and all the people there on the banks of the Jordan River at Aenon as Gods only Son, the long awaited Messiah! Surely the people would recognize Him? Jesus had arrived at precisely the right time and place to be baptized by John. Lets let God tell us what happened next on this planned day in history.

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:13-17)

Reflection Moment

Remember earlier in Luke 3 we are told "the word of God came to John in the wilderness?" A parallel scripture also confirms this:

I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, "Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit." (John 1:33)

We can be assured considering the whole word of God through harmonizing the scriptures (Psalm 119:160), baptism of repentance for for remission of sins was spoken to John the Baptist as he received Gods plan. Baptism came not from man but from God making it a requirement or condition to salvation (Mark 16:16). This will later be confirmed by Jesus words Himself as He unfolds His plan of salvation during His ministry to the Jews (John 3:26, 4:1).

While the sinless Jesus did not require baptism to remit any sins, God shows us that baptism is associated with the Holy Spirit as well as an action that God approves of, for He spoke it to John (Luke 3:2).

"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Matt 3:11).

Three reasons why Jesus had to be baptized

(1) It was to identify the Lord as the Son of God at the beginning of His ministry. (Luke 1:17)

When Jesus approached, John didn’t have complete knowledge that Jesus was the actual Son of God. The proof of His Sonship didn’t reveal itself to John until he saw the Spirit descend upon Jesus and heard the voice from heaven that Jesus was in fact the Son of God. Now He could testify that, "This is the Son of God, He is the one we have been waiting for.” (John 1:31-34). The Messiah had arrived!

(2) It was a commencement of the total dedication and obedience of Christ in carrying out heavens plan.

Righteousness is associated with the commands of God (Psalm 119:172). To fulfill righteousness is to be obedient to Jehovah. After all as we are noticing, the life of Jesus is all about obedience isn't it. Jesus through David‘s prophetic words a thousand years before His birth affirm, “I delight to do thy will, Oh my God, Yea thy law is in my heart.” (Psalm 40:8) Do we have the law within our hearts, and delightfully so? Jesus is our perfect model for our lives.

(3) It was a visual precursor to the Saviors ultimate death, burial and resurrection.

Later we will see these words from Apostle Paul that demonstrate the need for Jesus to be baptized by John. Paul says, “Now I make known unto you, brethren, the gospel… that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He hath been raised from the dead on the third day according to the scriptures." (1 Cor. 15:1-4) The death of Jesus, as the key ingredient in Gods plan of redemption, was in the mind of God before the foundation of the world (1 Pet 1:19). I can’t help but wonder at what point in Jesus mental maturity did he become aware of His ultimate destiny on the cross? We know that by the age of 12 he was cognizant of His unique status as the Son of God. And it seems clear now at the waters of His baptism at the hands of John, He knew of His appointment with the cross, and likely long before that.

The Temptations

After Jesus was immersed by John, He was led into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted of the devil (Matt. 4:1; Mk. 1:12; Lk. 4:1). The exact location of the temptation scene is unknown. What is significant is that the Lord was alone, fasting, tempted, and tested. Jesus’ total submission to the will of God was tried from the very beginning of his ministry. How necessary this must have been for the difficult years of ministry toward the cross that lay before him (Luke 12:50).

Reflection Moment

How could the Holy Spirit lead Christ into temptation (Matt. 4:1)? The Holy Spirit did not lead Jesus into temptation. He led him into the wilderness. God knew that the devil, a willing villain, would utilize this moment of Jesus’ physical weakness and exhaustion to tempt him. Satan would consider this “an opportune time,” and he would look for other “seasons” as well. The devil did the tempting.

God sent his Son into a world of trials and temptation in which difficulties are a part of being in the flesh. This does not mean that the Holy Spirit tempted Jesus to do evil, for God never tempts any one (James. 1:13). The devil was the direct agent through which the temptation came.

The Holy Spirit did lead Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted, but this is no more alarming than the fact that God sent Christ into the world to die. His redemptive mission involved a sacrificial death, and the road to Calvary was paved with suffering, testing, and temptation, through which Jesus was perfected, or qualified, to serve as high priest for humanity (Heb. 2:10).

From the temptations of the devil, we realize that he is a liar. Temptations are deceptive. Temptations cannot provide what they offer — choices without consequences. Temptations are tailored to our vulnerabilities. We must, like Christ, rely upon the word of God to teach us. We must dedicate ourselves, beforehand, to be completely obedient to the will of God, for He alone has our good in mind. And praise be to God, that Jesus never sinned — He never succumbed to temptation. For we do, and we desperately need his merit. His perfect sacrifice!

For our benefit, Jesus makes His first proclamation in front of the devil that He is God! He says to him after being told to throw Himself off the mountain (Luke 4:9). And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, you shall not tempt the Lord your God.” (Luke 4:12) The battle was over, “Away with you Satan! “…he departed from Him until an opportune time” meaning, the devil will be back. (Luke 4:13)

Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry

From this tumultuous spiritual battle between forces, Jesus returns to Galilee and begins to teach in the synagogues of various towns and villages in the area. But curiously, He waits until John the Baptist is imprisoned by Herod Antipas to begin preaching publicly. One speculation is, Jesus knew the ultimate outcome of John being in prison, and a horrible death by beheading awaited him. So, He chose this transition period to allow for His preaching and teaching of the people to be presented in full without conflicting with Johns preaching. He wanted all eyes upon Him. Jesus the Christ is now fully vested to set the heavenly plan of redemption into play.

The official message from the God-man to man of His ministry begins in His hometown, Nazareth. He reads out loud part of a well known Messianic prophecy of His work in Israel. That scripture is Isaiah 61:1-2.

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God;”

Then he closes the scroll and simply tells the hearers and us today, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” (Luke 4:21-22)

Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14-15)

Reflection Moment

When John had finished his ministry, Jesus began His ministry. This is a critical and very short transition period of history when God intercedes and takes over again. Thus the last Old Testament prophet, John prepared the way for Jesus’ New Testament ministry (Luke 16:16). Jesus’ ministry was one of fulfillment. Part of John’s preparation was to preach that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. And, as soon as Jesus started His ministry after John was imprisoned, as we will see, He went about “preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel."

As a testament of Johns work paving the way for the Christ, these seven words by him fulfills his joy before he was executed. He exalts Christ by saying, "He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). After having the attention of thousands of people coming to him to be baptized, what a fantastic attitude of service to God to be able to say, "not my will, but Gods will." This statement by John the Baptist was clearly motivated and understood by knowing the Lamb of God had arrived, and the reminder, "the Word of Gad came to John in the wilderness" early in the story prior to baptizing Jesus. John was to himself prepared having some knowledge to his end. We have no idea the specifics God shared with John one on one in the wilderness in this regard, but I think we can rest assured paradise awaited him. There is a great lesson for us from John in these words in that we too must get out of Gods way and let Him have His way with us towards our cross.

So, this proclamation of Jesus was not good news in that synagogue and the Jewish community for they fully expect the kingdom to be reestablished in Jerusalem. “What is this gospel speak He is saying to us? There is no mention of ‘gospel’ in the scriptures!” Jesus was saying that the kingdom of God was, at that time, coming. Certainly, this was good news in their midst though they recognized it not! Here is their reaction to Jesus proclamation.

"So all those in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust Him out of the city; and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way." (Luke 4:28-30)

It should be good news to us because the kingdom of God is still here! You are living in the time of the kingdom of God right now. Yes, Jesus was Josephs son. He has just struck the first official blow to mankind that He is the long awaited Messiah! The King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Everlasting to Everlasting. Now we begin to see and hear about God’s great love in that he thrust Himself upon mankind in spite of its sinful and disobedient nature upon this beautiful planet He Himself created for us. You could truly say, we have been visited by someone not of this world. Someone who being God, became a man and a carpenter. But now He is more than a carpenter, He is the Son of God – The Savior of mankind.

Next week we will speak to – The God-man Fellowships with His Creation.

Blessings

1 : 2 : 3 : 4 : 5 : 6

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War of Words 1 of 4

In the multitude of words sin is not lacking,
But he who restrains his lips is wise.
 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver;
The heart of the wicked is worth little.
 The lips of the righteous feed many,
But fools die for lack of wisdom.

(Proverbs 10:19-20)


"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

(Matthew 12:35-37)

Gods Great Love Among Us - Part 2 of 6

Continuing in our exploration of Gods great love for us, we are now focusing on the Son of God’s infant earthly presence with Mary and Joseph, onto His teenage and young adult years.

(2) Gods only Son grows in wisdom and stature, the God-man.

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Sometimes it’s easy to take for granted that the raising and providing for Jesus by His parents wasn’t extraordinary. Nothing could be further from the truth. Much of the Bible is about Jesus Christ, but only a small portion of the New Testament discusses Joseph, His step-father, and Mary, His mother. Yet the New Testament details about their lives help enhance our understanding of these two honored parents and their love and dedication to the future Savior of mankind. An incredible responsibility we will attempt to explore.

Please note that some of the content contained within the Reflection Moments depicted here is not recorded in the scriptures. They are merely human attempts to relate and ask some questions of certain aspects of the Son of God, which may help you see the Savior’s human side of His divine life on earth.

Short of a scene of the 12 year old Jesus with Joseph (Luke 2:42), there is no mention or clue how Jesus lived and interacted with His parents and or local playmates. Did Joseph teach the young Jesus any games kids enjoyed at that time? Or did he just watch and listen to Jesus conversations, His reciting of the Law of Moses with perfection. Maybe he just stood on the sidelines in awe and wonderment. Did Joseph and Mary worship the young Jesus and how did the boy take it? I like to think Joseph's love and dedication for his divine step-son taught Him to be a much better man, father and husband. And ultimately, a favored servant of God entrusted with His only Son.

Something I would like to point out. God in all of His workings for mankind from the beginning in the Genesis account, to the future last day in Revelation when the seven trumpets begin to sound (Rev 8:7), everything is known by God before, during and after. Some things He specifically has His hand in the details, others He allows to unfold within His providential influence. In short for our purposes, Joseph and Mary's entrance onto the scene of Gods plan was no accident. The parents of the Son of God on earth were chosen by God to fulfill His purposes (Luke 1:28). If you are a parent reading this, try and put yourself in either position as the God-boy's stepfather or mother if that is even possible. In some respects I don’t believe it was all that different from their contemporaries, but it was all very unique and special more than any other parent-child relationship on earth! Shall we peek into the emotions, fears, joys and wonderment's Joseph and Mary may have experienced as God wove His plan?

Nazareth to Bethlehem

Nazareth is the hometown of Mary and Joseph. In 5 B.C., just before the birth of Christ, the Romans require them to travel to Joseph's ancestral home of Bethlehem.(he and Mary was of the lineage of King David back to Abraham, fulfilling the prophesies that the Messiah would be a descendant of Abraham - Gen 12:3, Gal 3:16, and David 2 Sam 7:12-13). The couple travels the roughly 80 miles (about 129 kilometers) to the city, where Christ will be ultimately born in a manger outside of a nearby Inn that had no vacancy (Luke 2:1-20). His birth fulfills the prophecy found in Micah 5:2 and in many other places. On the eighth day after he is born he is circumcised according to the law of God (Luke 2:21).

Reflection Moment

“This isn’t the way I planned it God. Not at all. My child being born in a stable? This isn’t the way I thought it would be. A cave with sheep and donkeys, hay and straw? My wife giving birth with only the stars to hear her pain? This isn’t at all that I imagined. No, I imagined family. I imagined grandmothers. I imagined neighbors clustered outside the door and friends standing at my side. I imagined the house erupting with the first cry of the infant. Slaps on the back. Loud Laughter. Jubilation. That’s how I thought it would be.

The midwife would hand me my child and all the people would applaud. Mary would rest and we would celebrate. All of Nazareth would celebrate. But now. Now look. Nazareth is five days journey away. And here we are in a … a sheep pasture. Who will celebrate with us? The sheep? The shepherds? The stars?  This doesn’t seem right. What kind of husband am I? I provide no midwife to aid my wife. No bed to rest her back. Her pillow is a blanket from my donkey. My house for her is a shed of hay and straw. The smell is bad, the animals are loud. Why, I even smell like a shepherd myself. Did I miss something? Did I, God? When you sent the angel and spoke of the Son being born – this isn’t what I pictured. I envisioned Jerusalem, the temple, the priests and the people gathered to watch. A pageant perhaps. A parade. A banquet at least. I mean, this is the Messiah! Or, if not born in Jerusalem, how about Nazareth? Wouldn’t Nazareth have been better? At least I have there my house and my business. Out here, what do I have? A weary mule, a stack of firewood, and a pot of warm water. This is not the way I wanted it to be! This is not the way I wanted my son.        M.L. 2004

Forty days after Jesus is born, fulfilling the purification requirement of Leviticus 12, Mary and family travel to Jerusalem's temple to present him before God. The trip is only 6 miles (9.6 kilometers) long. His parents make an offering to the temple of two turtledoves or two young pigeons. It is during their visit that a priest named Simeon prophesied about Jesus' mission in life and blessed his parents (Luke 2:22-35).

Before Mary and Joseph leave the temple to return home an elderly woman of 84 years named Anna, a widowed prophetess who lived in the house of God, blesses them as well (Luke 2:36-38).

Reflection Moment

And the Lords ministry begins to the surprise of Joseph and Mary and others (Luke 2:33). What you say? He's just an infant Simeon and Anna just blessed. Yes, they did and in front of witnesses in the synagogue, and as the bible says, "all those looking for redemption in Jerusalem." The word is out that the Christ is among man ministering by the mere fact of His holy infant physical presence - God Is Among Us!

Jesus is just over a month old embodied with all the attentions and daily needs an infant requires. “Did the sinless baby Jesus cry? What did Mary do when she saw the Son of God tear up when he was hungry? Did he ever get sick?" Life was tough for Mary and Joseph in the rough and unforgiving surroundings of their ancient life. They walked for miles everywhere day and night. Did she reach for a handy partially soiled cloth to dry His perfect tears, or was she overwhelmed she couldn’t produce a perfectly clean towel worthy of the Son of God’s care? How about the anxious and worried Joseph, did he freely embrace the baby to relieve his teenage wife as she melted and sunk into occasional periods of despair? But this is the Son of God, their earthly son for a while for which they may have worshiped and gave thanks for in ways you and I can only faintly know when we for the first time meet and worship Jesus through obeying the gospel.

Bethlehem to Egypt

It is in Bethlehem, more than a year after Jesus' birth, that the wise men (Magi) from the East arrive to worship the King of Kings with Mary in attendance (Matthew 2:11). And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: Gold (for kings), Frankincense (for priests), and Myrrh (for burial). The wise men proclaimed Jesus in worship with their gifts as King, Priest and Sacrifice. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod (Matthew 2:12), they departed for their own country another way. The wise men’s lives were changed upon meeting the Savior! Knowing the Christ child was really upon them as the prophets and psalms of old detailed in the scriptures, they must have realized, they couldn’t divulge Jesus location to Herod, and if they did return to Herod, they would be put to the sword for concealing the Saviors location. This demonstrates a love of the wise men for Jesus the infant God. Even more, the love Joseph and Mary had for their young King of Kings! After the wise men leave, an angel tells Joseph, in a dream, to flee to Egypt (Matthew 2:13). This is because Herod the Great issued a command that all male children two years old and younger, in and around Bethlehem, are to be put to death (Matthew 2:16). Herod's cruel actions fulfill a prophecy regarding the slaughter of innocent children.

“Thus says the LORD, "A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping; Rachel (buried near Bethlehem, she was one of Jacob's wives) weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children because they are not" (Jeremiah 5:15)

Their journey from Bethlehem to what is Egyptian-controlled territory (outside the jurisdiction of Herod) was at least 65 kilometers (40 miles).

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them. (Luke 2:15-20)

Reflection Moment

This is the first glimpse in scripture we have of Mary to whom I believe realizes with stark clarity the need to keep the baby Jesus location protected. She kept these things in her heart. The normal verbal joy and celebration we have with our newborns could not be advertised for fear of Him being killed before he could embark on His ministry to redeem mankind. She must have been trembling every waking moment, praying to God for their protection and any number of issues only the divine Son’s birth mother would suffer. Could she keep him nourished before he cried for sustenance giving their location away in the middle of the night? When going about the daily chores keeping camp organized and stocked with supplies, would Joseph succumb to inquiry of the babies location by the soldiers that may have passed by in their search? How often did Joseph and Mary break camp to evade soldiers to protect the completely vulnerable Son of God? If you or I were in this situation, how would we go about making sure the future King of Kings would be protected from imminent danger at this moment of His life?

There are so many factors the Word doesn’t reveal, but were surely present in the daily life of our ancient and very special family. Hence the next loving intervention and protection by God when He stirs Joseph up in a dream. Not only for the Son of Gods family, but I believe for us as well. Can we ever imagine the God-boy being found by Herod’s swordsmen or a spy rendering the end of Jesus’ infant life? Our loving God is so wise and so true. His plans for us will not be altered praise God!

Egypt to Judea and Nazareth

After Herod dies, Joseph has a dream where an angel tells him it is safe to return to Israel. The family's trip to and from Egypt is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy (Hosea 11:1). They soon begin their travel back to Judea and Bethlehem. However, as they approach Judea, it is discovered that Herod Archelaus, the eldest surviving son of Herod the Great, is the new ruler of the area (Matthew 2:22). Like his father, Archelaus rules with tyranny and cruelty. John Gills' Exposition of the Bible states that one time he sent his entire army into Jerusalem's temple, at Passover, in order to kill 3,000 men suspected of sedition!

Matthew 2:19-23 - Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

Mary and Joseph’s trip from Egyptian territory all the way north to Nazareth was a journey of at least 106 miles (170 kilometers)! Another example of amazing love and fortitude to protect the divine boy.

“Now when they had completed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the little child grew and became strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.” (Luke 2:39-40)

Jesus lives in Nazareth with his parents Mary and Joseph (which fulfills the prophecy stated in Matthew 2:23). After the death of his step-father sometime between Christ's 12th and 30th birthday, He continues to live in the city until He journeys to Capernaum to begin His public ministry.


Reflection Moment

We don’t know when Joseph died but we do know he was a carpenter during Jesus tender years. The Greek word is tekton, which was used of a versatile and skilled builder or craftsman who worked with various materials including wood and stone. Jesus, having learned the trade from Joseph, later used analogies based on His experiences at Joseph's side to explain man's relationship to God and His coming kingdom. The following scripture in the gospel of Mark is well into Jesus’ ministry after leaving home and being baptized by John the Baptist, Jesus cousin. But it shows us that Jesus was in fact a carpenter like His step father Joseph. This gives us clues to Him learning a trade before He becomes an adult for the rabbi's taught that to raise a son without one, he would be as a robber! It also opens up many possibilities of the young Jesus life we can attribute if I may.

"Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t his sisters here with us?” (Mark 6:3)

I have done carpentry work with wood growing up helping my dad build our house board by board as a young man. I have also framed a few houses for a short while until I realized it wasn’t for me. And I can clearly remember how difficult it was getting things done correctly so the finished product looked square and true. I have also done much hobby work rebuilding and finishing wood furniture. All the sanding dust breathed into my lungs, working my fingers raw to the bone including being smashed by a stray hammer head! And the fine and perfectionistic building of model gliders with very light balsa wood that truly challenges the best hobbyist’s to get it aerodynamically right. Wood is a challenge and intimate experience but it is also very gratifying to work with as it reminds me of Jesus in the wood shop.

Can you envision our Lord growing up with His step father in the wood shop making and repairing furniture for sale or for trade? Talking with peddlers as He shows them His perfect workmanship holding the very wood he created? Or kicking up and breathing the wood dust into His divine lungs that from His glory in heaven, breathed life into mankind? Joseph watching his son must have had moments of shear wonderment seeing Jesus smash His thumb or pierce the skin from a stray sliver of wood, drawing out from within Him, the sacred blood that in a few years would save mankind! Oh how wonderfully God works and loves us.

Luke 2:40-42 leaves us with the only account of the boy Jesus approaching His teenage years.

"And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. And His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast"

Then Mary and Joseph lost Him! Or should I say, Jesus lost them but not really. He was nowhere to be found, So, they traveled back to Jerusalem for three days and found Him in the synagogue with the teachers. Again, due to circumstances they must have initially been horrified and probably very upset once they found Him. In fact the bible says "Son, why have you done this to us?"

Then the first public proclamation Jesus Father is in heaven. We can understand this as we have the written bible to draw from. But Mary and Joseph and others were quite confused of Jesus reply. Joseph especially may have been  perplexed (Luke 2:49-50).

If you could ask Joseph and Mary questions about the Savior as their child, what would you ask?

1. What was it like watching him pray?

2. How did he respond when he saw other kids giggling during the service at the synagogue?

3. When he saw a rainbow, did he ever mention a flood?

4. Did you ever feel awkward teaching him how he created the world?

5. When he saw a lamb being led to the slaughter, did he act differently?

6. Did you ever ask Jesus after prayers if He heard your every word?

7. How did he act at funerals?

8. Did it occur to you that the God to whom you were praying was asleep under your own roof?

9. Did you ever try to count the stars with him….and succeed?

10. Did he ever come home with a black eye?

11. How did he act when he got his first haircut?

12. Did he have any friend by the name of Judas?

13. Did he do well in school?

14. Did you ever scold him?

15. Did he ever have to ask a question about Scripture?

16. What do you think he thought when he saw prostitutes selling themselves?

17. Did he ever get angry when someone was dishonest with him?

18. Did he ever ask you if the future Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament might be him?

19. Did he ever wake up afraid?

20. Who was his best friend?

21. When someone referred to Satan, how did he act?

22. Did you ever accidentally call him Father?

23. What did he and his cousin John talk about as kids?

24. Did his brothers and sisters understand what was happening?

25. Did you ever think, That’s God eating my soup?

We are left with no further information about the young Jesus beyond twelve years old except for this scripture:

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

We now have come to the point of Jesus life in scripture where He is in His early 30's a fully grown man that may beg the question, "When did Jesus know He is (was) God in the flesh?

The New Testament doesn't tell us specifically when but it does inform us according to John 1:1, Jesus, as the "word," was with God in the beginning and was God. It seems a pretty clear teaching of Scripture that Jesus was aware of His divinity proportional to His age and maturity. He articulated this understanding on multiple occasions. It's interesting under the Old Testament, the Jews recognized that children could not be held personally accountable to the law of Moses. They set the arbitrary age of twelve as the year when a child assumed adult status in religious matters. Jesus affirmed His mission, knowing that He was about His Father's business (Luke 2:41-50) at age twelve!

Reflection Moment

The final day of the solitary life of Jesus at home with His parents and siblings is now imminent. For 30 years they had lovingly and sacrificially served God much to His delight. And they may have been uncertain what it meant for their son to leave. Surely Jesus had recited and explained the prophet Isaiah when he said,

"He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked—But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand." (Isa 53:3-10)

And remember when the angel Gabriel informed Mary saying,

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:30-33)

I have to believe she never forgot this miraculous visit in conjunction with witnessing her son intently studying and reciting the scriptures with perfection and wisdom. And quite possibly though there is no proof, some intimate conversations between son, mother and step-father of Him connecting Himself with the painful Isaiah 53 prophecy! One has to wonder.

And Joseph, did he fully realize as to what it really meant, that his step son would be the One to "save His people from their sins" (Matt 1:21)?

We hope this presentation has enriched you in your studies and pursuit to honor God in your life to where you can say,

I am ready to give up my life in service to You today Father, in loving sacrifice like Mary and Joseph.

Next week we will speak to Jesus embarking on His ministry for His Father in heaven.

Blessings

Part, 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6