Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:44-45.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. Galatians 2:20.
Jesus said to him, “I AM the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.” John 14:6-7.
And continuing our 351 Old Testament prophecies, promises of God, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, we come to number 187: A rod out of Jesse – Son of Jesse. Isaiah 11:1: Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. And, Luke 3:23-32: When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Hesli, the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon.
Luke continues the genealogy all the way to Adam, the son of God. And Paul picks it up: But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, then comes the end when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. For He has put all things in subjection under His feet. But when He says, “All things are put in subjection,” it is evident that He is excepted who put all things in subjection to Him. When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all. 1 Corinthians 15:20-28.
Can we begin to understand how radical was the coming of Jesus, the Son, Creator God, to His people then? We read Scriptures not yet written then. Imagine what it was like then to hear Jesus Himself standing before you. At that time the Feast of the Dedication took place at Jerusalem; it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple in the portico of Solomon. The Jews then gathered around Him, and were saying to Him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe, the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me. But you do not believe because you are not My sheep. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.” John 10:22-30.
They didn’t understand then. Do we truly understand today? Are we ready to follow Creator God – Father, Son, Spirit, who was from the beginning and will always be? Can we honestly pray His will and not our own? Can we see the turmoils in this world within us and without, all around us, and give thanks for Creator God and let His love and His Holiness be our peace as we trust and follow Him? He alone is the Way and the Truth and the Life. No other. Not us.
***PRAYER FOR BOLDNESS – LORD, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them, who in the Scriptures spoke of the Messiah to come and of His rejection by the authorities. They still oppose You. In our own day, there are dark forces in play, and many are the enemies of the gospel. Now, LORD, consider their threats and empower Your servants so that with all boldness we may speak Your Word. Now fill us with the Spirit of Christ, that we may speak the Word with boldness. The Believers’ Prayer for Boldness in Acts 4:24-31. Adapted.***
