Speaking about the birth of Jesus hundreds of years before it happened, Isaiah says, “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” (Isaiah 9:6). So Jesus is the “Prince of Peace.” On the night of Jesus’ birth, the angels proclaim the good news to the shepherds, again emphasizing the peace that Christ would bring: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14, KJV).
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People everywhere search for peace. They sing songs about it and travel on pilgrimages to find it. They even wage war to protect it. Many wealthy, famous, and powerful people would trade everything for just one moment of peace. What they often find, however, is the world’s false peace which is different from the peace offered by Jesus: Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. (John 14:27) The peace offered by the world is an empty promise and can only bring temporary comfort. God’s peace is a permanent peace offered by the only One who can be trusted to keep his Word and heal our sin.
In Luke 15:4-7 Jesus says he would leave the 99 to find the one lost sheep. (John 10:11- Jesus is the good shepherd and he will lay down his life for his sheep). Jesus invited Peter and all his disciples to take part in caring for his church. In this text “feed my sheep;” it's referring to the work of a shepherd. They are called to feed believers and the lost with spiritual food, to seek the lost “sheep.” Why does Jesus give Peter this charge? It was a way to not only -forgive- Peter for his earlier -betrayal of Christ- but to show that Jesus had -absolute trust- in Peter’s ability to #lead in God’s kingdom. Jesus forgives and entrusts peter part of the most important work to be done in the kingdom. (You can read complementary accounts of Peter’s three denials in Matthew 26:20-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:54-62, and John 18:15-27). As Peter discovered, no matter how often we let Him down, God won’t give up on us. John 21:15-17 illustrates Peter’s #restoration in the ministry by Jesus. After the disciples finished breakfast on the shore of Tiberias, Jesus asked Peter three times whether he loved Jesus “more than these.” (The question is significant because we learn that Peter was quick to speak and act in love and honor of Jesus (Matt16:13-19).Jesus posed the question 3 times to Peter, which -parallel- his earlier 3 denials). Jesus says to Peter; “feed and take care of the sheep given to Him; the duty of shepherding the people of God, to teach them #biblical #truth that feeds their souls.” The commission given to Peter is extended to ALL the apostles to care for The flock, knowing that they belong ultimately to Christ and that they need the truth of God’s Word!:)
The covenant concept is central of Scripture, establishing and defining God’s relationship with mankind in every *age of *history. The OT was established between God and the people of Israel after Freeing them from Egyptian slavery. Moses, leading them from captivity- served as mediator of this contract at Mount Sinai: (“Moses took the blood from the basins- splattered it over the people, declaring, “this blood confirms the covenant the Lord has made with you in giving you these instructions.(Exodus 24:8, NLT)” God promised Israel would be his chosen people, and he would be their God: (“I will claim you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God who has freed you from your oppression in Egypt(Exodus 6:7,)” God issued the Ten Commandments and laws in Leviticus to be obeyed- If they complied, he pledged prosperity and protection in the Promised Land). To address sins, God set up a system of “animal blood sacrifices.” That system lasted hundreds of years, but it was only temporary. Out of love, God sent his only Son, Jesus, into the world; This new covenant would resolve -the #fall- once and *for *all (Isaiah). For 3 years, Jesus taught throughout Israel about the kingdom of God and his -upcoming role- as #Messiah. To support his claim as Son of God, he performed many miracles, even raising people from the dead. By dying on the cross, Christ became #Lamb of God, the #ultimate #perfect #sacrifice, whose blood has the -power- to #redeem us #forever. Jesus freely #intercedes for us before God- We now -encounter God- ourselves; no longer needing a human to speak for us. Israel struggles to find closeness with God, but the gospel illustrates the covenant now through the power of Christ’s divine blood- sacrificial love- in -manifested- spirit through his *word. While God's grace frequently broke through in the OT, its #presence manifests in #spirit through the resurrected #living christ- The free gift of redemption in Christ is available to all who choose to #receive it. Israels restoration is in the-unity with christ #messiah- in the promise land- eternal #dwelling place.
In #Christ, God “creates in himself #one new man in place of the two.” Paul puts this new spiritual #reality and new spiritual #identity in the strongest of terms when he says, “for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). This does -not- mean that there are no more -cultural distinctions or practices- that distinguish members of -different ethnic- groups. What it does mean is that our -union- with Christ produces a -union- with “one another” that #transcends -Any- of our ‘other’ associations in this “fallen” world. As blood is thicker than water in our natural relations, the #Spirit is stronger than both in our Christ union. #Cosmic, #consummative #worldwide #peace is -entirely- dependent on Jesus’ death on the #cross. The -effects- of creaturely reconciliation are felt for all of eternity on account of His #saving #works. The *vertical reconciliation of fallen men to God is #foundational to the *horizontal reconciliation of man to man. The former necessarily accomplishes and secures the latter. Our union with Jesus in His death and resurrection reconciles us to God. And, since we are redeemed by the same Christ, united to the same Christ, and made the beneficiaries of the same benefits of union with the same Christ, we are thereby #united to one another in the #same #body. The disciples had grown up believing that when the Messiah came, He would conquer their enemies, subdue all other nations, and set up a kingdom that would make everything right in the world. But the disciples’ expectations were limited to an earthly understanding of what God’s kingdom really is. The other-worldly kingdom Jesus brought to the earth is a supernatural kingdom that does not receive its -marching orders- from any “worldly source” (Luke 17:21). It’s #powerfully at work in the world, through the lives, and in the hearts of all believers. The Prince of Peace rules and reigns in His kingdom and our peace on earth can be experienced with Him there. This #supernatural #peace is not a worldly brand of peace that ebbs and flows with circumstance. It’s a #perfect #peace powerful enough to serve against the agents and circumstances of ALL unrest. ☺️🌈🕊❤️
Elijah (Elias or Elia, Hebrew Eliyyahu), Hebrew prophet who ranks with Moses in #saving the religion of #Yahweh from being *corrupted by the nature -worship- of #Baal (idols). Elijah’s name means “Yahweh IS my God” The story of his #prophetic career in the northern kingdom of Israel during the reigns of Kings Ahab and Ahaziah (1Kings17–19, 2Kings1–2). Elijah claimed that there was no -#reality- except the #God of #Israel, stressing monotheism to the people with possibly unprecedented emphasis. The Israelite king Omri had *allied himself with the Phoenician *cities of the *coast, and his son Ahab was married to Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, king of Tyre and Sidon. Jezebel, with her Tyrian courtiers and a -large contingent- of -pagan- priests and prophets, #propagated her native religion in a “sanctuary” built for -Baal- in the royal city of Samaria. This meant that the Israelites -accepted- Baal as well “as” Yahweh, putting -Yahweh- on a “par” with a -nature-god- whose “supreme manifestations” were the “elements and biological fertility, celebrated often in sexual immorality.” Jezebel’s *policies- intensified the *gradual #contamination of the religion of #Yahweh by the Canaanite “religion of *Baal,” a -process made easier by the weakening- of the Israelites’ “faith in Yahweh.” Elijah was from Tishbe in Gilead. The narrative in (1Kings) relates how he suddenly appears during Ahab’s reign to proclaim a #drought in “punishment of the cult of Baal” that Jezebel was -promoting- in Israel at “Yahweh’s expense.” Later Elijah meets 450 prophets of Baal in a contest of strength on Mount Carmel to determine which deity is the true God of Israel. “Sacrifices” are placed on an altar to Baal and one to Yahweh. The pagan prophets’ “ecstatic appeals” to Baal to kindle the wood on his altar are #unsuccessful, but -Elijah’s prayers to Yahweh- are #answered by a fire on his altar. This outcome is taken as decisive by the Israelites, who slay the priests and prophets of Baal under #Elijah’s #direction. The drought thereupon ends with the “falling of rain” symbolizing #repentance and #redemption.X
#7 often symbolizes #completion or #perfection. Numbers in Biblical times were symbolic of a deeper meaning- 7 appears over 700 times. From the 7 days of Creation to the many “sevens” in Revelation, 7 connotes such concepts as completion and perfection, exoneration and healing, and the #fulfillment of #promises and oaths. 7 also denotes completion at the Crucifixion, when Jesus spoke 7 statements from the Cross at the completion of earthly duties. The Lord’s Prayer contains 7 petitions: (Hallowed be thy name; Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven; Give us this day our daily bread; #Forgive us our trespasses, as we *forgive those who trespass against us; Lead us not into temptation; and #Deliver us from evil). Jesus tells us He is: *The bread of life (John 6:35); The *light of the world (John 8:12); The gate to salvation (John 10:9); The good shepherd (John 10:11); The resurrection and the life (John 11:25-26); The way, the #truth, and the life (John 14:6); and The #vine (John 15:5). King David refered to Gods words, “like gold refined 7 times,” when Isaiah described the coming Messiah, he listed seven qualities the #Savior would embody (Isaiah 11:1-2). In Deuteronomy every 7th year, the Israelites were to cancel all debts with each other and free their slaves (Deut15:1-2, 12). We see 7s connection with exoneration when Peter asks Jesus how many times we are to *forgive, “seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:21-22). Here- Christ is instructing us to forgive *wholly. Jesus performed 7 miracles on the 7th day and healed 7 people on the 7th day. Faithful members of the Church have been correlated to the betrothed Bride of #Christ [i.e. Rev. 19, 6-9, Hosea 2]. (Sabbath of the bride is Shabbat Kallah). The symbolism here correlates entering into gods presence*. Kallah (bride) is also Ka’al –it is done, accomplished, completed. Believers in Messiah/Yeshua Ha Mashiach are His kallah /Calah; God’s purposes to #reveal His covenant and the deep close relationship Israel has with Him that began at Sinai as (bridegroom) katan (marriage); joining together in complete truth and spirit (bride of christ-unity with holy #spirit #dwelling of God)John 4:24.
I. The “personhood” of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a personal being just as the Father and the Son. The Spirit is not an impersonal “it” or simply an influence. A. The Spirit has personal characteristics.
Contextually in Luke 18 we are near the end of the long journey to *Jerusalem, a trek that occupies nearly a third of Luke’s gospel. The parable comes of Jesus’ discourse on His return, an event that will occur at the very *end of *history. During the period between first and second comings, the covenant community will endure great hardship and persecution, so the parable motivates believers to *persevere. It is prefaced with a purpose statement: “that they [the disciples] ought always to pray and not lose heart” The phrase “lose heart” occurs often in the New Testament in the context of end-times #persecution. For example, Paul tells the Ephesian church “not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory” (3:13; 2 Cor. 4:1, 16; Gal. 6:9; 2 Thess. 3:13). The general flow of the parable is easy enough: a widow steadfastly pleads with a pagan judge to grant her justice. Nearly all details of the parable are vague—we know nothing of *why or *how the widow was wronged, nothing about the “*adversary*,” and nothing about where this took place but we -do- learn something about the nature of the *judge. He “neither feared God nor respected man” -because of the widow’s persistence, he handed down a favorable verdict. In the wider context of Luke 17–18- in preceding passages, much of what Jesus teaches concerns the believers’ *perseverance before His second coming (17:22–37). As history unfolds, hostility *increases between God’s people and the world. Living in a period of time that is oddly marked by the presence of the kingdom of God and the tribulation (Matt. 13:24–50). Participating in the kingdom inevitably results in great hardship and persecution. (Luke 17:33). They will be wronged, and the world will do its worst. But, because the widow persevered, the judge avenged her. Faith is indeed a gift of God and one of the closest passages to the parable of the #persistent widow is the #fifth #seal in Revelation 9:10, where the deceased saints in heaven cry out to God, God reminds us of one thing: “Wait a little longer” 💫🌍
We are promised by God some very foundational things that we could not live without. They are essential to our existence and give us hope for the future. We are promised: salvation from judgement, a place in the world to come to share in spiritual blessings with the Messiah in Heaven, we will have a new name (Revelation 2:17) we can never be separated from the love of God (Romans 8:35-39) there will be no more suffering and pain in the world to come (Revelation 21:4). These promises are at the core of our faith. God has so loved the world that He made it clear how we can regain access to His presence. He gave His Son to unite us with Himself and to invite us to His Kingdom. That is the Good News of the Gospel and the great promise that will not be broken. When we talk about the promises of God, we have to acknowledge an important fact. Before any of His promises can be applied to the Body of Messiah, God’s promises were first given to His people Israel. And it is impressive how often God stresses the fact that His promises are eternal and last forever. The whole story of salvation centers around the history of Israel, her creation, redemption and restoration. God’s might and power is evident in His everlasting promise to Israel (first laid out in Genesis 12:1-3). There, the Lord promises He will make Abram into a great nation and will bless him. Throughout the books of Moses, we can read promises that the Lord will be Israel’s God, and they will be His special treasure in all of the earth. Israel is God’s very own possession. God also promises that the Messiah would come out of Israel, out of the kingly Davidic line. (Isai11:1, Gen3:5, Isai7:14) The Apostle Paul promises that the future hope for Israel’s salvation is sure and that God will make good on His promises (Romans 9-11). We see a revolution after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This is when the gentiles are invited to the table, so to speak. A revelation comes over the first church that many of God’s promises are for the whole world, all are welcomed into the family of God through faith in Jesus. He grants them full access to the throne of grace, just like to the Jewish people (Matthew 8:5-13).
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