First Day of Christmas (Season of Celebration Begins)

December 26, 2013 purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

Jesus stepped into the world as a little babe. We celebrate Him as Lord and as King. The angels tell us our savior is born. Yes, our savior! The King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the one who existed at the beginning of the universe came to earth to die.

The Shepherds in near by fields watched over the passover lambs. The shepherds tended the sheep assuring those without flaws would be available in the Temple for the Passover sacrifice. Jesus came to be our true Passover lamb.

Two thousand years before, Pharaoh refused to release the Israeli slaves. Over generations they were forced into service. Now, God wanted his people freed. Moses told Pharaoh to release the people or the first born son in every home would die. But God provided a method for salvation. If the family sacrificed a lamb and placed the blood on the two door posts and the beam above the door, death would not come to the home where the blood of the lamb was found.

Jesus came into the world to teach us, and to demonstrate right from wrong. But the truth is that Jesus came into the world to die. He is our Passover Lamb. And when the book of life is open to judge the just and the unjust, if the blood of the lamb is found on our hearts then we will be covered in his righteousness.

We celebrate our King, but it is the greatest of Kings who chooses to die so his people can live.

Jesus came the first time as the Sacrifice for our sins. Jesus came to die for us.

Next time, he will be coming as our King.

Come Lord Jesus!!!

Advent · Christmas · Uncategorized

The Passover Lambs in the Fields

December 17, 2013 purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

Luke 2 ⁸And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

That flock of sheep sitting in the field probably had something in common with the babe in the manger.

Bethlehem sits about six miles from Jerusalem where the temple was. The sheep in the fields, more than likely, were being raised to be a sacrifice. At Passover people flooded into Jerusalem, they needed a lamb without flaw for their sacrifice.

The babe in the manger would grow up to be the only perfect human. This man would lay down his life as our Passover lamb.

And on the day of His birth, the shepherds were called by the Angels to view the new born baby who would be the final Passover Lamb required.

John 1 ²⁹The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

I am constantly amazed that Christ chose to leave heaven to be a sacrifice for me. He came to be the final passover lamb. I am in awe constantly just at the thought he was willing to leave heaven, but to come knowing that he faced being the passover sacrifice. That is just amazing.

John 3 ¹⁶For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The Babe in the manger was your gift from God. The Father provided the Lamb to be sacrificed for your sins.

^{Genesis 22:⁸Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb or the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.}

Prayer: Thank Jesus for coming to earth, for being our Passover lamb, for giving us the comforter.

Meditation: Think about what it would like to be in heaven and then to leave for earth. Think about the love Jesus had for us to be willing to sacrifice himself to build a bridge between us and God.

Action: Write a Thank You note to Jesus for what his coming to be a sacrifice has meant for me in my here and now.

Christian. · Ireland · March · March 17 · St. Patrick · St. Patrick's Confession · St. Patty's Day

Patrick was willing to suffer anything for God

March 22, 2013 purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

But it is tedious to describe in detail all my labours one by one. I will tell briefly how our most holy God frequently delivered me, from slavery, and from the twelve trials with which my soul was threatened, from man traps as well, and from things I am not able to put into words.

I would not cause offense to readers, but I have God as witness who knew all things even before they happened, that, though I was a poor ignorant waif, still he gave me abundant warnings through divine prophecy.  Whence came to me this wisdom which was not my own, I who neither knew the number of days nor had knowledge of God?

Whence came the so great and so healthful gift of knowing or rather loving God, though I should lose homeland and family.  And many gifts were offered to me with weeping and tears, and I offended them, and also went against the wishes of a good number of my elders; but guided by God, I neither agreed with them nor deferred to them, not by my own grace but by God who is victorious in me and withstands them all, so that I might come to the Irish people to preach the Gospel and endure insults from unbelievers; that I might hear scandal of my travels, and endure many persecutions to the extent of prison; and so that I might give up my free birthright for the advantage of others, and if I should be worthy, I am ready [to relinquish] even my life without hesitation; and most willingly for His name.

And I choose to devote it to him even unto death, if God grant it to me.  I am greatly God’s debtor, because he granted me so much grace, that through me many people would be reborn in God, and soon after confirmed, and that clergy would be ordained everywhere for them, the masses lately come to belief, whom the Lord drew from the ends of the earth, just as he once promised through his prophets:

“To you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Our fathers have inherited naught but lies, worthless things in which there is no profit [Jeremiah 16:19].” And again: “I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles that you may bring salvation to the uttermost ends of the earth [Acts 13:47].”

Thanksgiving

If I am to bring an offering what does Jesus want?

November 21, 2012 purposeunderheavenLeave a comment

So in the ancient times the people offered sacrifices of thanksgiving to God. We no longer have a specified offering. But Jesus did tell us what He wanted from us if we loved Him.

John 14

¹⁵If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Now we know what Jesus wants is for us to keep His commandments. But what does that mean? How do we keep the commandments of Jesus? What are these commandments? A few verses later, Jesus tells us.

John 15

¹²This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

¹³Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

¹⁴Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

¹⁵Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

¹⁶Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

¹⁷These things I command you, that ye love one another.

A simple command and yet maybe the hardest command that exists. What Jesus wants from us is for us to love one another as He loved us. He loved us enough to come from heaven to earth. He loved us enough to give his life on the cross as a sacrifice for us. He loved us enough to send the Holy Spirit as a comforter and teacher. He loves us enough to hear and answer our prayers.

And if we want to show our thanks for all Jesus has done, He asks us to love one another.

Exercise

What do you think it means to love someone like Jesus? Does it mean forgiving them when they mess up? Does it mean caring for others even when we might not want to do so? We are told by Jesus when we feed the hungry, cloth the naked and care for the prisoners we are doing these things for Jesus.

Yesterday we looked at our time, and money and talents as something we could give God.

Today look at who you could show love, the kind of self sacrificial love Jesus gave to you. Make a plan for how you can be more loving to another person.

Playlist song

Family of Love, Family of God Take 6 Songs for a purpose driven life