What is Christmas all about?

Christmas is the most joyful celebration in the world. Joy filled in the season of Christmas all around the world. Whatever the exact date of the incarnation of Jesus Christ (the exact day we may not know), celebrating the birth of Jesus was always filled with gladness and joy in people’s hearts.

Joy to the World.

On that first day of the first Christmas, shepherds were living out in the fields nearby. They were keeping watch of their flocks at night. The Bible says in Luke 2:9, an angel of the Lord appeared to them, the glory of the Lord shone around them, and these poor shepherds were terrified of fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, I bring you the good news that will cause great joy for all the people.” No wonder great joy is filled during the season of Christmas. All people celebrate Christmas regardless of religious barriers. At least this is true in many countries including western countries.

Of course, when we remember Jesus Christ, there are reasons for joy, gladness, love, and hope. People express their love toward one another by giving gifts. However, God is the greatest giver of all. He gave the most significant gift ever for all humanity-His one and only Son who was with Him all through eternity for our biggest mess- the problem of sin. The Bible declares in 2 Corinthians 9:14 (b) God has given you the surpassing grace. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.

The name ‘Jesus’ is given from heaven- it has a unique meaning and answers our questions.

I was wondering why the first Christmas? Why does God have to send His Son, Jesus Christ to this world from heaven? Bible gives the answers to this question. Matthew 1:21 says what was announced by an angel of the Lord. It says, “You are to give him the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins.” You see, Jesus is a name given by heaven. It is not a name that originated from earth. Something unique about the name of Jesus: this is another reason when we think about Jesus and Christmas there are joy and gladness in all people’s hearts. He was particularly given the name ‘Jesus’ because he will save his people from their sins. No other name is available for the forgiveness of the sins of people. This is why the Bible declares, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” No other gurus, no other religious leaders can save you from your sins. No holy place visit would do this. Why? For there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved from our sins. God placed all our sins, iniquities, and trespasses on the sinless body of Jesus so that we may escape from His wrath and judgment. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “Christ never sinned, but God put our sin on Him. Then we are made right with God because of what Christ has done for us.” NLV. Jesus was the sacrificial lamb who carried our sins, iniquities, and trespasses to the cross where nailed all our sins to the cross once and for all. This is the big picture of Christmas.

Christmas story does not end with Christmas, does it?

The Christmas story does not end with the first Christmas day. The story of Christmas, the glad tidings and joy is not complete until the death, burial and resurrection of that child who was born in Bethlehem. Christmas makes sense in the shadow of the cross where Jesus laid down his life for us. What did Jesus do on the cross? With one hand he held the hand of the holy God in heaven, and with the other hand Jesus reached out to our hands. Then he joined both of God and you together. He joined both together by paying with his divine, sinless dying blood. In short, Jesus paid for our sins with His blood. He is the only mediator between God and us. There is no one else out there, period! Because nobody ever could do what He did to reconcile us to God.

Listen to what the Bible describes this in Ephesians 2:13- “At one time you were far away from God. Now you have been brought close to Him. Christ did this for you when He gave His blood on the cross. We have peace (with God) because of Christ. He has made the Jews and those who are not Jews one people. He broke down the wall that divided them. He stopped the fighting between them by His death on the cross.” Then it continues to declare this verses 18-19, “Now all of us can go to the Father through Christ by way of the one Holy Spirit. From now on you are not strangers and people who are not citizens. You are citizens together with those who belong to God. You belong in God’s family.”

A cloud of His death surrounded the birth of Jesus. Why? Because that was the purpose of His coming into this world. The wise man who visited the child from the East Jesus brought forth three gifts to Him. Bible says they saw His star and came to worship Him. They came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?” These mysterious wised men from the East knew the king was born and they came with gifts to worship Him. Bible says in Matthew 2:10, “They opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. All three gift has significant meanings. Gold shows Jesus is the king. Frankincense or incense is what priests use in their temple services and therefore it shows Jesus is the priest – the High priest. Then the third gift, Myrrh is an extraordinary gift. In those days people used myrrh to apply on the dead body. The people in those days did not have modern items to preserve the body. They used Myrrh and wrapped the body with clothes in several layers. Myrrh showed the death of Jesus Christ. It declared Jesus is the savior of the whole world who indeed save people from their sins by dying in their place – by paying for the mess of sin by His divine and sinless blood.

Hundreds of prophecies had to be literally fulfilled on that first day of Christmas, hadn’t they?

What are the other reasons God send Jesus Christ on the first Christmas day? You see, if you read the Old Testament section of the Bible, from the first book called Genesis to the last book Malachi, we see a beautiful scarlet thread of God’s promises/prophecies for the coming savior who will save people from their sins. The first Christmas day was the day of more than 300 prophecies in the Bible that was pre-told hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus Christ were fulfilled with pinpoint accuracy. God promised the coming savior of the whole world, immediately after the fall of our first parents-Adam and Eve-to sin. (Genesis 3:15). God promised to Abraham in Genesis 12:3 (c) that this savior would as a descendant of Abraham and through Him, all the families of the world shall be blessed. God repeated this promise to Abraham’s Son Isaac and his grandson, Jacob (Genesis 26:3-4 and Genesis 28:13-14). Jacob had twelve sons from which the twelve tribes of Israel came into being. Before the death of Jacob, it was revealed to Jacob that the coming Savior and the king of the world would come from the line of Judah, one of Jacob’s sons) Genesis 49:10.

Space won’t allow me to show all the Old Testament prophecies fulfilled at the time of the birth of Christmas, on the first Christmas day. However, I will highlight a few more important ones.

Bible promised several hundred years ago in Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” This is literally fulfilled, and Matthew 1:20-23 cites this fulfillment quoting this Old Testament scripture.

Bible also promised in Isaiah 9:6-7, “A child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us. And the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the greatness of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David’s throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.”
The passage above promises a Son will be given to us. It says the Messiah’s or the coming savior’s birth in Bethlehem was not the beginning of his life. The eternal Son of God is given to us by God, the Father. The eternal nature of His kingdom and rulership are also promised there. It ends with a unique statement, “The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” God promised with His zeal. This is why the incarnation of Jesus is such an important event in humankind’s life.

Bible gave the exact name of the place (Bethlehem) where Messiah, the savior, would be born hundreds of years before. It also said the birth of Jesus was not his beginning. It said His origins are from of old, from ancient times, showing the existence of Jesus as the Son of God in heaven in the eternity past, before his incarnation.

Read what Micah 5:2 said, “ But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
though you are small among the clans[a] of Judah,
out of you will come for me
one who will be ruler over Israel,
whose origins are from of old,
from ancient times.”

Bible promised hundreds of years again before what price Jesus would be betrayed in Zechariah 11:13. It said, “And the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the handsome price at which they valued me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them to the potter at the house of the LORD.” Jesus was indeed betrayed for thirty pieces of silver. Matthew 26:14-16 records this.

The fact I want to bring to your attention is this. The second reason for the importance of the birth of Jesus is the fulfillment of all the Scriptures written about Him. All those prophesies had to be fulfilled. Jesus, Himself said to the two travelers to Emmaus this when they were perplexed about the crucifixion of Jesus just happened. They sincerely thought Jesus was the redeemer. However now He was crucified, and they could not put the pieces of the puzzles together. However, Jesus walked with them said this, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” All those hundreds of prophecies regarding his coming, and crucifixion for the sins of the world had to be fulfilled. Matthew 24:25-27.

The deepest desire of our hearts found fulfillment on that day.

Another reason for the first Christmas of the incarnation of Jesus is to fulfill your heart’s desire If I am not mistaken. Phillip one of His disciples once asked the deepest desire of people’s hearts. The question was this. It is recorded in John 14:8 and says, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

Let me ask you this. Don’t you want to see God, your Father in heaven? Some of you may have tough fathers in this world as an earthly parents. I want to tell you this heavenly father, who is God, is the perfect father you would ever know. Earthly parents are all possessed with various shortcomings just like you, and I are. From the age-old time, humanity wanted to see God and know how God looks and behaves. Don’t you agree? Phillip echoed the same sentiment of all people. Jesus answered and said this. Each word of His statement is important. Go slow, read and understand. “Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or at least believe in the evidence of the works themselves. (John 14:9-11).

Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” Do you want to see God? Do you want to know the heart of God? Do you want to look at the actions and characters of God? Take a look at Jesus. Read the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). When you see Jesus, you are seeing God. He is the full revelation of God.

Without the first Christmas, when Jesus was born into this world from heaven through the Virgin Mary, we will never know and understand who God is. I know in your heart; you want to see God as Phillip said. Don’t you? Take a Bible and read the first four books of the New Testament and see God in action.

The way is revealed! Do you know the way? How do I know it?

Finally, I want to bring to your attention one more reason why Jesus was born on that first Christmas filled with wonder, joy, and gladness. When the time of Jesus’s going back to heaven (from where He came) arrived, He said to His disciple that He is going to go away, but He will come back to take them so that they will also be where He is. Then Jesus said this cardinal statement, “You know the way to the place where I am going.” (John 14:4). Thomas replied and asked another age-old question. “How can we know the way?” John 14:5.

You see another vital question of humanity is this -how can we know the way to heaven? What happens after my death? Is death the end of all? Alternatively, is there something after my death? How can we know the way to heaven so that I can live forever? Bible says in Ecclesiastes 3:11, “God has also placed in our minds a sense of eternity; we look back on the past and ponder over the future.” (The Voice). We all think abuot the future and what happens to us. God placed such thought in our mind so that we would find out the way to heaven. “How can we know the way?” Jesus replied to this question. Listen to each word of Jesus’s statement again. He answered this vital question of people. “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” In short what He said is this- He is the way. He is the truth. And He is the life. Do you want to know the way to heaven? Do you want to know the truth about the future? Do you want to get life after death? No one comes to the Father. This means no one comes to the heaven where God, the Father lives except through Him (Jesus Christ, the Savior of the whole world), Period!

When you think, finally this settles it.

You may say, Sam, look that does not make sense. Sam, you are so narrow in your mind and thought. Beloved, Listen, I did not say this. I did not make it up. The Son of God, Jesus Christ, who came to pay for all of your sins and die in your place said this. If He said, it is Amen to me. Do you know anyone else who died in your place? For all of your sins, iniquities, and trespasses? I do not know anyone else? Do you? Only the Son of God could pay for your sins. The truth is He did it. He died in your place and rose again from the dead and proved He paid for all your sins. Now if He says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” I do not have any problem. I believe it one hundred percent.

I am going to stop here. I have illustrated four reasons for the first Christmas day. Even this year in a few days, the world is going to remember His incarnation, if the second coming of Christ, does not happen before this December 25th.

I hope I answered the question briefly – What is Christmas all about anyway?

Do you know He still knocks? And it is not late yet.

I hope you will remember the birth of Jesus Christ (His incarnation into this world) in a more understanding way. Moreover, I hope you will know the truth, and as a result, you will accept Jesus Christ as your savior and Lord. Jesus said this, “ Listen! I stand at the door and knock; if any hear my voice and open the door, I will come into their house and eat with them, and they will eat with me.” Will you open the door of your heart for the Lord Jesus who died to save you from all your sins, past, present, and future- and grant you eternal life forever in heaven with Him? Beloved, Will you do it now? If so, I will help you to settle your sin issue and eternal life issue once and for all.

Pray after me, please.

“Father in heaven, I know now the reasons for your birth in Bethlehem. I believe you came to this sin-bound earth from heaven on that first Christmas day, to save me from my sins and grant me eternal life. I believe you died in my place, carried all my sins on your body, and willingly died and rose again for me. I am sorry for my sins. I open my heart as you asked me to do. Come into my life and establish your love and fellowship with me today and forever. Thank you for coming into my life although I am not worthy. However, still, you care about me and love me. Thank you. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.

A brief historical background and the empowerment ‘thanksgiving’ provides in people’s lives.

“Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing,  in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.’ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

We are getting ready for the national thanksgiving day of this year in the USA on November 25, 2021.

The national holiday for Thanksgiving in the United States falls on the fourth Thursday of the month of November. It is called American Thanksgiving to distinguish it from the Cananaidan Thanksgiving occurring in October. The main event is the thanksgiving dinner, which in the USA includes turkey meat, potatoes (or other forms), stuffing, green beans, corn, cranberries, pumpkin pie. The American Thanksgiving event was first celebrated by the pilgrims (English settlers who came to North America on the Mayflower and established the Plymouth Colony (today’s Plymouth and Massachusetts). It happened after the first harvest in their newly found world in 1621. The first celebration lasted for three days and was attended by 90 Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims. It was considered a day of prayer and thanksgiving to God for all the blessings received. It has eventually been declared as a paid national holiday in 1870 by president Ulysses S. Grant. 

The pilgrims who came to the USA were mainly Puritan Calvinist Christians who followed the Judeo Christian value system in the Scripture pages called the Bible. Therefore the spiritual roots of the concept of Thanksgiving go back to the Old Testament section of the Bible. God being the creator, provider, and sustainer of all-the Word of God called the Bible- set the expectation that people must be thankful to the creator God for all the benefits we enjoy from Him daily. Thanksgiving day in the USA historically was seen as a day to praise and thank God for the provisions, blessings, and healings we enjoy. 

Historical root.

In the dawn of human history, people recognized Thanksgiving as one of God’s expectations. Bible says Abel, a son of Adam, brought thanksgiving offer from his flocks’ firstborn. He gave the best from his flocks. The Bible says God respected and regarded his thanksgiving offer. (Genesis 3). Hebrews 11:4 it was by his faith in God that he brought a better offering than his brother Cain did. He was commended as righteous, and God spoke well of Him, and His thanksgiving offer still speaks to people, even though He was dead a long time ago. A thankful heart and actions would speak for themselves. I remember my parents conducting thanksgiving prayers and meals in my home where I grew up. One of the good memories of my earlier life and the reasons I admire my parents is their thankful hearts to the Lord God for His blessings. After the great flood of forty days and nights, Noah built an altar to the Lord to give thanksgiving offers when floodwater receded. When God smelled the soothing aroma of his offering, it says there He made a covenant with Noah, expressing His compassion and care for all the people on the earth (Genesis 8:20-22). 

Abraham often offered Thanksgiving by building altars to praise and thank God, who called him out of Mesopotamia’s idol worship system and asked to go to a land that He would show him. On his journey of faith in the Word of God, he built several altars to thank God. Issac was a passive man compared to Abraham, but he also made an altar to call and honor the Lord after He appeared to him. (Genesis, 26:25). Jacob, whose name was later changed by the Lord to “Israel’ (Genesis 32:28), apparently lived to serve his own plans and desires in his early years. When God appeared to him on his way to Paddan Aram, he came to know the holy presence in the place where he laid down. He made a vow to the Lord God about the erection of a future house for the Lord. He promised to pay a tenth of his blessings to him. Although Thanksgiving, praise, and worship were God’s expectations, His people from then onward began a downward spiral with an ingratitude attitude. Ingratitude toward God always results in judgments. Israel’s children became slaves in Egypt when a new Pharoah who did not know Joseph came to the throne to rule Egypt. 

It is noteworthy to ponder why God delivered Isreal’s children from slavery in Egypt. Exodus 2:23-25 says, “their cry for help because of their bondage in Egypt rose up to God. God heard their groaning; God remembers His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them.” You see, prayer is cardinal in the deliverances of God. Notice it says God heard their cry in heaven, God remembered, He saw them, and took notice of them. Amazing is the power of prayer.

The Lord God said to Moses, “I will send you to Pharaoh, so that you may bring My people, the sons of Israel, out of Egypt.” Exodus 3:10. Moses was given the task to deliver and bring Lord’s people from their slavery in Egypt. When Pharoah asks why he should let the children of Israel go, this was the answer Moses was supposed to tell him. Listen:

Then say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has sent me to say to you: Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness. But until now, you have not listened (Exodus 7:6)

Exodus 8:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD says: Let my people go, so that they may worship me.

Exodus 9:1 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘This is what the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, says: “Let my people go, so that they may worship me.”

You see, thanksgiving, praise, and worship is what God expects from His people. Nothing less than praises resulting from thanksgiving.  

Later in the book of Leviticus, the Lord God gave commands of a sacrificial system to His people. This included the prescription of grain/meal offering and Peace/fellowship offering. Both emphasize Thanksgiving to God based on His blessings on them –material blessings like fruits and crops Lord gave to them and the peace of God they enjoy with God. They were asked to call two or more people and give thank offerings to the Lord God for His goodness.

When we come to Deuteronomy’s book, chapter 26 gives an example of Thanksgiving the Lord expects from his people. Listen to what it says, “When you go into the land the Lord your God is giving you as your own, to take it over and live in it, you must take some of the first harvests of crops that grow from the land the Lord your God is giving you. 

Put the food in a basket and go to the place where the Lord your God, will choose to be worshiped.  Say to the priest on duty at that time, “Today I declare before the Lord your God that I have come into the land the Lord promised our ancestors that he would give us.”  The priest will take your basket and set it down in front of the altar of the Lord your God. 

 Then you shall announce before the Lord your God: “My father was a wandering Aramean. He went down to Egypt with only a few people, but they became a great, powerful, and large nation there.  But the Egyptians were cruel to us, making us suffer and work very hard.  So we prayed to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, and he heard us. When he saw our trouble, hard work, and suffering,  the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his great power and strength, using great terrors, signs, and miracles.  Then he brought us to this place and gave us this fertile land.  Now I bring part of the first harvest from this land that you, Lord, have given me.” 

Place the basket before the Lord your God and bow down before him. Then you and the Levites and foreigners among you should rejoice because the Lord your God has given good things to you and your family.”

You see, God says when He blesses them in the promised land where they were traveling, they would possess the land with the help of Him, and the first harvest crops would be taken in a basket to the place of worship as a thanksgiving offering to Him. Then he will say a testimony honoring and thanking the Lord for the blessings. In the testimony, he recollects the past incidents, explaining how God delivered them with His strong, powerful, and mighty hands. Then he and his friends and foreigners in the land would rejoice because the Lord God has done good things to him and his family. 

Job gives an example of how to praise and thank the Lord in the midst of severe sufferings. Due to spiritual warfare, which he could not understand with his heart and see with his eyes, he lost all things –wealth, children, and health-one after another in a brief period without any advanced notice. However, he decided to thank and praise the Lord with these famous words. It says in Job 1:21-22, “he fell to the ground and worshiped, and said, naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I shall return there, The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away, Blessed be the name of the LORD.” 

The book of Psalms consists of many incidents of thanksgiving amid sufferings and lamentations. Psalms 42:11 says this, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation, and my God.” Even in the midst of deep agony and despair, Psalmist is placing his hope in God, followed by praise expecting salvation from the almighty God. We can see thanksgiving and praises rising out of sorrow and lamentation in the pages of the book of Psalms. Grief and pain without praise and thanksgiving to God is a path to the pit of darkness. Alternatively, praise and thanksgiving amid sorrows and cries fly you high on wings to the very presence of God to get divine deliverances. 

The book of lamentation records abrupt thanksgiving to the Lord God amid untold calamities Judah faced because of their rebelliousness and sins. They considered the affliction, wandering, bitterness, and gall. Their spirits were downcast within them in sadness and hopelessness. However, it ends with giving high worth to the Lord and thanksgiving, as recorded below.

“I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness, and the gall. I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:
Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.” Lamentations 3:19-24

The New Testament Epistles often highlight thanksgiving amid sufferings and perils. Apostle Paul usually erupts into thanksgiving and praise even at the time of dangers and turmoils. In 1 Corinthians 2:34, Pauls says, “But thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ.” The word ‘but’ addresses the afflictions, sufferings, excessive burden, sentence of death, sorrow, satan’s taking advantage of the situation, and even loneliness he explained in the previous chapters. He abrupts into praise and thanksgiving to God because he knew God always leads him in triumph because of Jesus Christ. 

After elaborating on the surpassing grace, compassion, forgiveness, and salvation of God, he received through the Lord Jesus Christ, Apostle Paul wrote the below statements in 1 Timothy 1:15-17. His words attributed very high worth and praise to the living God. He worshiped Him by confessing God as the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor, glory forever and ever.”

Listen what Pauls’s own words-” Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”

Be thankful in all circumstances

You see, long before the first thanksgiving day in Plymouth in the USA, the required attitude of thanksgiving is widely recognized in the pages of the Bible. It is the right thing to do for all the goodness of the Lord God toward His creation. Thanksgiving ought not to be just one day out of a year or once in a while as feel to do. God wants thanksgiving as part of our lives daily, as often as possible, and in all circumstances of our lives.  

The Bible says 1 Thessalonians 5:18, ‘always be thankful” or “gives thanks in all circumstances.” It says from verses 16-18 three things we should always do. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Do you want to know God’s will for your life? It says right here three announced wills of God-rejoice always, pray continually, and give thanks in all things. You can say you did the will of God in your life when you develop these three things. 

You see, none of us would ever arrive in a place of always rejoicing, always prayerful, and always thankful naturally. Naturally, we complain, grumble, and sorrow. Only with the presence of the Holy Spirit of God inside us and the instruction and obedience to God’s word, we would arrive at such a place of blessings. 

Psalm 22:3 says, “God is enthroned upon the praised of His people,” or it also says in another translation, “God inhabits the praises of His people.” It is a fantastic verse to ponder on. Praise and thanksgiving to God is the primary way He inhabits our hearts and minds. We give thanks and praise to God. We turn our full attention to God taking our eyes off our issues and problems. As Job did, we acknowledge and ascribe true worth to God. We enthrone God, and He inhabits his presence powerfully in our lives when we take time to give thanks and praise to Him. Our passage in 1 Thessalonian teaches us to give thanks to God always in all circumstances of our lives-good or bad. 

When 1st Thessalonians was written and sent to them in the first century, the new believers in Christ there in that city were in the midst of severe persecutions. Their faith cost them much. Most of the new believers came from the slave background, and their masters persecuted them harshly due to their professed faith in Jesus Christ. Chapter 1:6 says they welcome the message of Christ in the midst of severe suffering with the joy of the Holy Spirit. It is an exciting statement. Did you notice ‘in the midst of server suffering,” they heard the word of God with the joy of the Holy Spirit? Suffering, persecution, the word of God, and the joy of the Holy Spirit. The word of God and the joy provided by the Holy Spirit by listening to it are the secrets of their rejoicing and thanksgiving. 

In short, amid severe persecutions, and suffering, Paul asks the Thessalonian believers in Christ to be joyful, prayerful, and thankful. As I alluded to before in the previous paragraph, it is not natural. It is possible only by the instruction of God’s word and the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit. However, this is the will of God- always rejoice, pray always, and thank the Lord always. 

Big Picture in mind.

When we know the big picture God has in mind for us, we can be thankful always. I like Romans, chapter 5. It says we have been justified through faith, and we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The chapter gives us many heightened views. While we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. God demonstrated His love toward us because when we were sinners, Christ died for us. The blood of Christ justifies the believer in Christ, and we will be saved from the future wrath of God through Christ Jesus. By the death of Christ, we are reconciled to God. We have peace with God. We are not afraid of God because, through Christ, God makes us his children. We celebrate in God because of Jesus Christ because we received reconciliation with God. However, in the midst of all these wonderful and beautiful views that prompt us to offer thanksgiving and praise to God, there is another verse, and that is vers 3. Listen, it says, “We also celebrate (glory) in our tribulations.” Why do we celebrate our tribulations or difficulties? It says there, “knowing that tribulations bring perseverance, and perseverance brings proven character, and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. In the midst of various trials, how is it possible to thank God? I don’t have money. I don’t have health. I am afraid. I am alone, and nobody is with me. I prayed and prayed. But it seems like evil wins. My prayers are not answered. 

Listen! The knowledge Romas 5:3 gives is important for you to celebrate or glory in your sufferings. Three-fold heavenly benefits come out of our sufferings. What are they? It brings in patience or perseverance. Patience means I can carry on the load without it breaking me. I can wait even if no sign of deliverances are seen now. I can stick with the Lord and his promises because the one who promised is faithful, and he will bring it to pass. Secondly, perseverance brings in proven character. You see, the character always develops out of patience and perseverance.

I heard Tom Landry, Dallas Cow Boys Coach said this about his players, “I want them to do what they do not want so that they can become who they always wanted to be.” Without patience and perseverance in the summer heart coaching season, the foot players can not achieve what they always wanted to achieve-superball trophy and winning awards. Tom Landry pushes them in the coaching seasons. They do not want such pushes and hard training. However, they want to get what it all finally results in. Same with you and me. Patience and perseverance bring in proven character. Finally, the proven character brings in hope. The hope as a result of patience and proven character would never disappoint. Why? Because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who was given to us. Because we have the Holy Spirit living inside us as a result of our professed faith and trust in Christ as our savior and Lord, God’s love is filled in our hearts with the presence of the Holy Spirit inside us. God with His Spirit would not disappoint our hope in him. Your hope would not be disappointed, period!

This is the source and secret of thanksgiving in all circumstances. This year’s thanksgiving is different for most of us. Life now is different from the advent of COVID-19. The after COVID-19 economy would be different from the pre-COVID-19 years. Many people lost their dear ones. Many are in ICU in hospitals. Many are experiencing the hardships and pains of lockdowns. Loss of jobs and uncertainty about the future knocks on many people. To many people, no light at the end of the tunnel is visible. The Bible says even this year, with all its fearful and confusing backgrounds, we can celebrate thanksgiving by being genuinely being thankful to God. Our celebration out of gloomy environments is due to our knowledge that tribulation brings in perseverance, and perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope that would never disappoint us because God’s love is poured out within our hearts by His Holy Spirit who indwells in a Christ believer.

Dangers of ingratitude. 

The absence of thanksgiving in our hearts toward God is the most destructive and dangerous matter. The Bible says in Romans 1:21-31 the path of an ingratitude heart. People who do not honor God or give thanks to Him become futile in their own thinkings and reasonings. They claim to be wise. However, they become fools. You see, although they claim they are wise in their talks, they become idiots. The USA was a nation that truly honored God and gave thanks to Him in the past many, many years. Nowadays, they put God out of the schools, government, and public places. They began dishonoring God by disregarding the Bible values and principles. As a result, they become fools, although they talk like wise men. A nation that can not even distinguish between men and women. A country that is confused about whether a child is a boy or girl. A nation, due to lust in their hearts, exchanged the eternal truth of God for falsehood. A country that dishonored even their own bodies to dishonor God by exchanging natural human relations for that which is contrary to nature. Verse 27 says due to ingratitude and dishonoring God; God gave them over to degrading passions as we see in our nation today. The men abandoned natural relations with women and burned in their desire toward one another, males with males committing shameful acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error. People in a nation that lost even the value or sense of animals in this regard. Animals in their lust know better than the people. The root cause of all these? Romans 1 shows such idiocracy or foolishness began by dishonoring God and His eternal word and by the absence of gratitude to the creator God. 

It is wise to know that the final result would be much more dangerous if no true repentance and returning to God’s eternal truth happens in people’s lives. Verse 28 says as they do not acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do those things that are not proper. Not only do they practice such un-proper things, but also approve of those who practice them. Is this not the current stage the United States finds itself in today?

May this thanksgiving day of 2021 be a day of repentance and remorse for the people to get back to the values of God recorded in the pages of the Bible. May God’s people stand in the gap interceding for the nations, their leaders, and their peoples. May all the countries and people worship the living Lord God with heartfelt gratitude and at most reverence. 

An Opportunity that Goes far Beyond your Lifetime Knocks at your Door!

John 6:14 Therefore, when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

A large crowd and a desolate place

In a desolate place where there was no food available, Jesus fed five thousand people, and they were all satisfied and filled. See, large crowds of people were following Jesus wherever He went. They followed Him to listen to his teachings and to be with Him. It was very late in the evening, and the crowd was tired and hungry. They were in a remote place with no food available. Disciples asked Jesus to send the crowd away to go and buy food from nearby cities. But Jesus said to the disciples, “you give them something to eat.” There was a boy whose mother apparently packed him a lunch of five loaves and two fish.

This was the only food available that evening in this remote place. One of the disciples, Andrew, said to Jesus there is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish. Then Andrew said, “what are these for five thousand people? This tells me Andrew still didn’t understand who Jesus is! The moment Jesus heard this, He said, “have the people sit down.” It says there was much grass in the place, and they all sat on the grass.

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The boy offering his small lunch resulted in a lavish lunch for all five thousand.

The boy gave his packed lunch to one of the disciples of Jesus, and they gave the lunch pack to Jesus. Jesus blessed and broke five loaves and two fish, and then He gave it to the disciples, and the disciples gave it to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied. How many eat and are satisfied? It says there were five thousand men besides women and children. What is that mean? The total number of crowds must have been much more than five thousand. I don’t know, maybe seven thousand or eight thousand. Many scholars believe the number fed on that day could have been 12,000 or 15,000.

This is one of the significant miracles Jesus performed, and all four Gospel writers – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John-recorded this incident. John records that Jesus gave loaves and fish to all thousands of people “as much as they wanted.” Matthew records “all ate and were satisfied.” Not only did they eat, and they were fully satisfied. But Marks says in Mark 6:43, and John says in John 6:13 the disciples gathered the leftover loaves and fish per the instruction of Jesus and they gathered twelve baskets full.

It was a luxurious supply of food to five thousand men besides women and children. Amazing and mind-boggling miracle, right?

The crowd who witnessed and enjoyed this miracle said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” Notice the word, “the prophet.” This is a literal fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecy regarding Christ. God already promised through Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15, “The LORD your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your midst, from your brethren. Him shall you hear.” When the crowd said, “this is truly the prophet,” they were hinting with the marvel that this could be the fulfillment of that prophecy back in the Old Testament. During the first century, there was a heightened expectation of ‘the prophet’. In other words, this was the fulfillment of one of the Bible prophecies regarding the coming Messiah who will deliver His people from their sins and the penalty of their sins.

Bible also declares Jesus is much more than a prophet and Messiah. He is God in human form so that people can hear, touch, and feel God. Take a long look at Jesus. People spend money and visit holy places to get a glimpse of God. You don’t need to go anywhere. Jesus is God wrapped in flesh and read about Him in the pages of the Bible- the Word of God. Jesus’s life didn’t start in Bethlehem. He was always in existence in heaven. Bible says in John chapter one – He was the eternal Word who was God and who was at the beginning with God. John 1:14 says, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

What are the lessons to learn from this incident?

Lesson #1: God turns your impossibilities into possibilities.

God is a God of all impossibilities, period! Andrew discovered there was a lad in the crowd who had five loaves and two fish. But his thought was this – what is these five and two to do with five thousand men. Nothing right? (John 6:9). Philip, another disciple, quickly calculated the required expense in terms of money. He said we need “Two hundred denarii worth of bread for everyone to receive a little.” Andrew and Phillip really blew up with their thoughts and calculations. Why? They didn’t really grasp who Jesus was.

The LORD asked this question to Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 18:14, “Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”

Is anything too hard for the Lord? The expected answer is no. Nothing is impossible to the LORD.

Dear one, do you believe this? You see, nothing is impossible to God. He has divine and supernatural ways and resources at His disposal for you. Understand and believe how great God is and how different He is from us.

Bible again declares this truth in Jeremiah 32:27,” Behold; I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” Of course, nothing is impossible or too difficult for Him. And understanding who God really is and what the big and amazing things He can do for you makes all the difference in your life.

Lesson #2: God uses human agencies to accomplish His purposes.

Second, Somehow in God’s wisdom and knowledge, He uses people as an agent for Him. See, Jesus could have made loaves and fish by just one Word. After all, Bible declares the earth and sky and all creations around us came into being with His Word. But remember Jesus said, ‘You give them food’. He knew what He was going to do. At the same time, He wants us to partner with Him in His task. This is amazingly wonderful.

Lesson #3 Only Trust and dependence get God’s job done.

When he engages us as His agents or representatives, he teaches us the truth of trust and dependence on Him for everything. See, the disciples were getting loaves and fish from the hand of Jesus as He broke them, and then they turned around and distributed to the crowd. This is an example of trust and total dependence on Christ for every need of our lives. The disciples could not meet this big need apart from the total trust and dependence on the Lord.

Lesson #4 Nobody and nothing are insignificant in the plan of God.

When you give yourself, your gifts, and what you have to Jesus, He is all-powerful to multiply what you give to him and use it for the benefit of others. Ultimately you will be a channel to bring Glory to the almighty God.

Loved ones, let me ask you. Are you a boy? Are you a girl? Are you a man or woman? Are you poor, or are you wealthy and rich? Are you president, manager, or servant? Jesus needs boys, girls, men, women, poor, rich, manager, president, and servants. Jesus needs white, black, brown, and other people of color. Do you know He wants to use you as His agent and partner to do some great works and miracles in this world? He wants you to be His ambassador to introduce people into His eternal kingdom. When an individual comes out of the power of evil and darkness and steps into the kingdom of God’s Son and His love, that will be the greatest miracle of all that causes rejoicing in heaven.

We don’t know who this boy was. I wonder what he might have said to his Mom and Dad that night. Do you see the boy’s Mom packed this lunch for him to enjoy, but he willingly gave his lunch to Jesus? Imagine the boy’s face after witnessing the opportunity of a lifetime went home to tell the story to his Mom and Dad. Mom and Dad, I gave my lunch to Jesus, and then He fed all five thousand people with my lunch. His Mom would feel so proud because she never thought when she was packing the lunch in the morning that it will end up in the hand of Jesus and a historic, once-in-a-lifetime miracle like would happen out of it. 

How about the disciples? Andrew would say, Man, I was a fool to say, ‘what is five loaves and two fish for this many people, wasn’t I’? Philip would say, what was in my mind to calculate the cost of the loaves when Jesus was standing in our midst? The crowd had also had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to watch what Jesus was doing in this world and witness this miraculous event to others. One of them would say like this, “yes, I was there on that day. I saw Jesus breaking bread and fish and giving to His disciples, and then they brought them to me. The delivery of food never stopped. It continued. The bread and fish kept coming in one after another! I never saw something like this in my lifetime.” They all experienced a very rare opportunity of a lifetime when Jesus touched their lives with this miracle on that evening.

Lesson #5- An opportunity that goes beyond your lifespan is knocking at your door now as we speak.

But you have a chance or opportunity not only for a lifetime but also for eternity when you partner with Jesus, the Son of God. Do you want to partner with Jesus in His marvelous work on this earth? He wants you to be an agent of Him in this dark and sin-filled world. Jesus is calling you to discover His plan for you and this world. He asks you to give yourself fully and completely for His cause. Would you do that? Only one small life, and it will disappear like a vapor pretty soon. You will die one day, and I will die as well, and we both will face Him on the other shore. 

The world offers many once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. What Jesus is calling you now is an opportunity for this lifetime plus beyond it; the world’s opportunity ends when you die. Nothing more this world can offer you. The opportunity Christ offers you today doesn’t end when you die. The opportunity and reward continue even after your die – all throughout eternity. Jesus bids you and provides a chance to partner with Him for an opportunity that goes far beyond your life in this world. Would you respond to Him in prayer?

Bible says in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” The pages of the Bible illustrate more about this opportunity beyond your lifetime on this earth.

The time won’t allow me to touch base with all those details here in this article.

Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do innocent people suffer?

You lost your spouse in an accident or sickness but many other wicked people still have their spouses and apparently, they don’t have any issues, family problems like your wife or husband went plotted against you and pulled your children on their side, police pulled you and gave you a ticket but not others and your child suffers but other children are ok and fine. Someone falsely reported against you and you were in a prison with no mistakes of your own and the list goes on and on. Now you think about whether God is truly in charge. Unfairness can eat away or destroy our faith. Many people left their churches because of some type of unfairness. You ask, why did this happen to me if God is with me? Why am I faced with the unfairness of life?

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Unfairness has the potential to ruin your faith life.

As I said above, many people’s faith life was ruined because of some bad things happened in their life. The biggest challenge is unfairness has the potential to break your faith. When I survey the Bible, I can see few valuable examples of faith warriors who were faced with severe unfairness in their life. The list includes Job, Joseph, and Jesus Christ.
You see when we look back we can understand life is quite often unfair. Is there anyone who did not face unfairness? How many unfair things happened to you just in the last one year, one month, or even last one week? Someone cheated you, you lost your job when your colleagues still have their job, you were falsely accused, someone else took what belonged to you. Unfairness permeates our life. Why did God let it happen in my life? Therefore, it is important to have a Biblical understanding of this topic.

Some Examples of severe unfairness

In fact, Jesus faced more severe unfairness than any other Bible characters listed in the Bible. Next comes Joseph, Job, Jeremiah, etc.
Joseph was treated unfairly. His own brothers plotted against him to kill him by putting him in a pit (Genesis 37:18). Then they sat down to eat a meal (vs25). You see their own brother abandoned him in a pit that had bugs and creeping creatures. They did not care. They are enjoying their meal as if something good accomplished.
Bible says in Genesis 37 that Joseph’s brothers had severe jealousy of him and they hated him because their father Jacob favored Joseph out of all his twelve children. His father made a multi-colored beautiful cloth for him when his brothers did not get any special clothes. In addition, they hated Joseph because of his two dreams which he explained to all his brothers and father.
You see, his own brothers left Joseph to die in the pit. But a little bit later Judah said to other brothers it is not good to kill him. Let us sell him to Egyptian traders. They sold Joseph for twenty pieces of silver. It is said that usually the price of a slave is thirty pieces of silver but their brothers sold Joseph with a deep discount. How cruel and evil were his brothers toward him? He ends up in Egypt as a slave. His legs were fastened and were placed in the slave market for sale. One of the officers of Pharoah, Potiphar, bought Joseph as his slave. A boy of seventeen years old, in his teenage time, is away from his loving father, family, and familiar circumstances. He ended up in a foreign land and became a slave to those who do not even speak his own language or have his culture. Was this not unfair? Yes, it was severe, hardcore unfairness for sure!

On top of that in Potiphar’s house, his wife had an eye on young Joseph and wanted him to lie with her. But Joseph refused her requests again and again. He said to her, “Look, My master has withheld nothing from me except you because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?” (Genesis 39:9). This young Joseph knew that sexual sins is a sin against God and that is why he refused and did not give himself to the daily temptations of her. Genesis 39:11-20 gives an account of the next unfairness that happened to him. One day while he was doing his work and none was inside the room, she caught him by his garment and said, “lie with me.” But he left his garment in her hand and fled and went outside the room. She got angry and called other men of the household and reported false accusations against Joseph. She said Joseph came to lie down with her and when she screamed he left his clothes and fled away. She said to her husband, Potiphar, and he placed Joseph in a prison. He ended up in jail for something he never did. How far can unfairness continue happening right?

But the Bible says in Genesis 39:21 this important statement, “But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him and gave him favor in the sight of the jailer. The jailer put Joseph in charge of other prisoners.
While Joseph was in prison, something happened in Pharaoh’s palace. Pharaoh’s cupbearer and baker offended him somehow and he placed both of them in jail where Joseph was. The captain of the bodyguard put Joseph in charge of them. (Genesis 40). Joseph took care of them. Both the cupbearer and the baker had dreams on the same night. Their faces were so sad. Joseph asked them why their faces were down. They said we both had some type of dream and there is no one to interpret our dreams. Joseph said, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell it to me, please.” (Genesis 40:8). Joseph said the meaning of the dreams with the help of the living LORD in heaven and the dreams were fulfilled exactly as he interpreted. But when he interpreted the dreams, he also said to them, when all goes good with you, please remember me and get me out of this place because I have not done any wrong. The chief baker was hanged to death by Pharaoh and the chief cupbearer was restored to his office. Yet when all things went well for the chief cupbearer, he forgot about Joseph and did not remember him (Genesis 40:23). Another unfairness occurred to Joseph. Though he did good to the chief cupbearer, he did not remember him and forgot about him.

Finally, Pharaoh had a dream and there was no one to interpret his dream. At that time, the chief cupbearer remembered Joseph and recommended his name to Pharaoh. Pharaoh invited Joseph into his palace and asked if he could interpret his dream. Joseph said, “it is not in me; “God will give Pharaoh a favorable answer.” Joseph interpreted the meaning of the dream regarding a soon-approaching seven-year worldwide famine and also gave advice on how to prepare for the severe famine in advance. Pharaoh pursued divine spirit in Joseph and liked his interpretation and advice and consequently, he was elevated to the highest position in Egypt – only next to Pharaoh- as the top official in Egypt. When the famine occurred the people of all the earth came to Egypt to buy grain from Joseph because the famine was severe in all the earth. (41:57). His own aged father, Jacob, and his eleven brothers were brought to Egypt during this severe famine time and Joseph protected them from death so that the promise of God to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob could continue to fulfill and a worldwide blessing could come from all these.
From the age of seventeen to the age of Thirty, Joseph had only unfairness one after another.

How did Joseph navigate through all these sequences of unfairness?

My question to you is this? What can we learn from Joseph’s life? In sequences of severe unfairness, how did he navigate through all this and came out victoriously on the other side? Joseph did not have Bible, the laws of Moses, he did not have Jesus’s teachings. When he faced the heartbreaking, stormy, fearful situations, again and again, how come all these unfair incidents did not break his faith in God? The only thing he had was seventeen years of life with Jacob his father in his home where his father loved him dearly. He heard the oral traditions from his father about God’s promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and he knew God made a covenant with Abraham and reiterated the same promise and covenant with his father Jacob and his grandfather, Issac. I think he knew that there was a promise of a nation, land, and worldwide blessings God promised. (Genesis 12:1-3). This is all pretty much he knew. But that was enough for him to keep his faith and trust in God. But remember we have much more knowledge about this God today. We have the completed and full counsel of God in the Bible, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling in us as believers in Christ, we have a church, prayer groups praying for our problems and issues.

But Is this not the secret of Joseph’s success in the midst of unfairness?

Genesis 50:20 gives us the secret of facing unfair circumstances of our life. Joseph said to his brother, ” As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” let us discuss few points here.
1. God had a plan. Say this again and again to your own minds and hearts. God has a plan.
2. They meant evil for sure. When they did these heartbreaking things, they meant to destroy Joseph for sure. That was their intention. They hated and won’t speak to him any kind words.
3. Joseph had his share of mistakes as well. Apparently, he spied on his brothers by reporting bad things about them to his father, Jacob. Jacob used him as a spy agent to get reports about his brothers. (Genesis 37:2 (d) and 13-14). Plus he said to his brothers and father his dream by which he was saying they will one day bow down and worship him. How cool to say such things to brothers?
4. This is the important phrase, “But God”. But God used their evil plan to accomplish His beautiful plan. God in his sovereign power, overruled their evil and turned it into something good. God turned Joseph’s mistakes also into something good.
5. Do you know God was in charge of Joseph’s life? The same is true with you and me. God is in charge of our lives no matter what and He has a plan. God is a sovereign God and He accomplishes His plan in and through you no matter what people plot evil schemes against you. No matter what others do to destroy you, God can overrule all those evil things against you to fulfill His plan. hallelujah and Praise to God!
6. If you are a child of God, if you accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, God can turn your mistakes and other people’s evil plans into something good for His ultimate glory. This is what Bible says in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”
7. If you accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, Bible says you are made righteous on behalf of Christ’s merit, because of the shed blood of Christ. Bible says, “He (God) made Him (Jesus Christ) who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21). We have the right to stand before the holy God because of our faith and trust in Christ. God is the one who orders your steps because you belong to Him and you are His child. (Psalm 37:23)
8. God is not the author of evil. Bible says God is good and He will not tempt us to do any sin or evil. Instead, God gives all good things to us. (James 1:13-17). But God has final sovereign ruling over bad and evil things as well. He can overrule evil things and turn it into good to accomplish His ultimate perfect purpose.
9. The brothers sold Joseph to Egyptians as a slave, but God used that occasion and their evil plans to accomplish His perfect good plan of preserving His promise and covenant He made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – to preserve the line of Abraham from the approaching worldwide famine and preserve the genealogy of Jesus Christ through the line of Judah to fulfill the unconditional covenant blessings promised. (Genesis 12:1-3).

Jesus the best case study of why bad things happen to good people and why do the innocent suffer.

Acts 4:27-28, the Bible says this about what happened to Jesus. It says there, “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur.’ They gathered together and implemented all their evil and wicked plans against the holy servant Jesus, who God appointed and predestined to occur for our salvation- a propitiation for all of our sins. The prophet Isaiah says this about Jesus in his Prophetic vision about 800 years before the incarnation of Jesus on to this earth,  “Surely he took up our pain
    and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
    stricken by him, and afflicted.
 But he was pierced for our transgressions,
    he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
    and by his wounds, we are healed.
 We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
    each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
    the iniquity of us all.”

It says they thought Jesus was punished by God, stricken by God, and afflicted. But the truth was this – Jesus was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, and the punishment that granted our peace fell upon him. It is by the cross and his wounds that a child of God has salvation and entrance into heaven. In short, we are healed from our sin issues because of their evil and wicked place on Jesus. God, the Father turned around the story of Jesus’ death and burial into a marvelous resurrection on the third day. The empty tomb of Jesus is still in the land of Palestine in Jerusalem.

Acts 2:23-24 says, Jesus was handed over to them by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and they, with the help of wicked men,  put him to death by nailing him to the cross.  But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. Slowly read these verses again and think about what happened of bad things that happened to Jesus. What happened out of his sufferings and death? 

Beloved, the good God can do such a miracle in your unfair life circumstances as well.  He is sovereign to accomplish the same in your life. Instead of getting bitter, angry, and frustrated, trust in the sovereign God and His perfect plan and wait patiently for Him. Understand God has a plan behind what is happening right now in your life. Life is hard but do you know this truth? God is good. If you are old enough I know you will say the same testimony, “but God”. How many bad things happened in your life, ‘but God’? How many people tried to ruin and destroy you, ‘but God’? How many times have you thought you are fallen faith, ‘but God’? You have gone through bitter and painful experiences in your life, but you still pray and go and worship the Lord. In the midst of your bad and evil incidents that occurred, God was there so far. He will be there in the future to navigate you through it all. In addition, Bible says there is the weight of glory waiting for you in the near future when Christ appears (2 Corinthians 4:17). The eternal weight of glory that God promised outweighs all our current afflictions.

If you have not accepted Christ as your savior as of yet, may I invite you to accept Jesus Christ as your savior now? God is granting this opportunity to come to Him in and through the name of Jesus Christ. Christ came to this world, died, buried, and risen again for your sins. You can successfully navigate your life in the midst of storms and unfairness if Christ is in your life. God loves you and wants to forgive all your sins, save you and grant you eternal life. Would you come to Him with a small prayer with me?

Pray after me: God, I know you love me. I know you sent Jesus Christ, the savior of the world, to die in my place for my sins. I believe Jesus died, buried, and risen again to make me your child. I accept Christ as my savior today. Please forgive my sins. I turn away from my sins in obedience to you. Please save me.”

If you prayed this prayer, with the authority of the Bible, I welcome you to God’s family now. You became a child of God and you belong to Him and God granted you eternal life now.

Please visit www.teachbible.org and go to the contact/prayer tab and send me a note. Thank you for doing that.

Yes, Life is designed to go on even thru your most difficult weeping time! Think about it!

2 Samuel 12:20-23, “Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions, and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshiped. Then he went to his own house, and at his request, they served him food, and he ate.

 His attendants asked him, “Why are you acting this way? While the child was alive, you fasted and wept, but now that the child is dead, you get up and eat!” He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.”

Many people expressed many sorrows and sadness in recent days, months, and years due to the death of our close ones. There were many questions and concerns from the family members about why this happened to them? All of us feel the same way.

Recent deep-felt conversations enforced few eternal truths.

There are few lessons we all need to keep in mind. They include:

Bad things happen to us on an ongoing basis because you and I live in a fallen and sin-bound world.

Remember, we have little control over things that happen to our dear ones or us.

One thing is sure each one of us has control over our response to these harmful incidents.

Another sure thing is this – there is no real spiritual growth in the absence of such adversities.

Pruning can result in growth spurts.

I know it is hard to understand. But these are the truths. One more thing is this – did you wonder why certain people are used more by the Lord for His glory while others are not used much at all for His glory? What is the secret? There are no effectual spiritual ministries, and works occur unless one is broke. When He breaks you, He can mold you again according to his wish and fashion, and there becomes a high potential for spiritual growth and glorification of God’s name in and through such a person. We grow curry leaves in our backyard. There is sudden and spontaneous growth when you break or prune the tender branches of curry leaves. If you don’t break or prune the tender stems, thick and abundant growth doesn’t occur. Jesus said this about Himself and the Father in heaven, ‘I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful” (John 15:1-2). Your spiritual impact and effect would be directly proportional to the way God pruned you or broke you. Don’t get jealous of others. God is probably using them because they paid the price of suffering and learned through it.

Where is she now anyway?

We know for sure that one of our sisters who departed is in the presence of the Lord. How do we know this for sure? Because she accepted Jesus Christ as her savior while she lived on the earth before her death. Jesus and Bible promise eternal Life in heaven with God to all those who believe and trust in Christ as their savior because He is the only savior of the world who gave his precious and holy blood a ransom for our sins. Sin would take one to hell, and there is nothing you can do about it. None of your good works will be able to cover or pay for your sins. But the blood of Christ cleanses us from all our unrighteousness and sins and makes us eligible to stand in the presence of the Holy God in heaven with no guilt, condemnation, or shame. Where do you end up if you die today? Do you have the assurance that you will be in heaven with God when you die? You can have the security of eternal LifeLife if you call upon Jesus Christ as your savior today.

When a man after God’s heart fails and yields to his temptations.

There are quite a few people followers these days as there were in the past. But Jesus never asked us to follow spiritual giants or other people, did He? He asked us to follow Him, and he would make us fishers of men. Another exemption in the Bible is when Paul said in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.” Faith giants may fall. Why? We all are humans with a sinful nature in us. However, learn from their mistakes and follow Christ. Or, in another way, let us follow the good examples of other faith warriors as they try to follow the example of Christ. Try to follow Christ and follow their good example of following Christ. But don’t ship-wreck your faith by their failures. But learn to follow Christ. This idea will free you a lot to love and show compassion even to those faith giants who fail right in front of you. Bible says, “So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” (1 Corinthians 10:12). Even Peter couldn’t stand without falling on the night of Jesus’s crucifixion. So let us abandon our proud, arrogant pharisaic nature and be humble, watchful, and careful.

However, this is not my point. Let us continue our thought now.

The failure of a great man of God is given in 2 Samuel 12 for our learning. A big giant of faith fell in the face of temptation by looking at another man’s wife – Bathsheba. David’s temptation arose, and finally, he managed her to sleep with him and committed adultery. Her husband- an innocent man- was killed by David’s army. Well planned and implemented. So far, so good. But David, a man after God’s own heart, couldn’t hide this horrible Sin for a long time and escape the sad consequences.

David ended marrying Bathsheba, and they have a child now. The Lord sent His prophet – Nathan- to point out his cruel Sin. Nathan looked straight on David’s face and said, “You are me that man! The Lord also said, “I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you all Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given even more. Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes? You struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword and took his wife to be your own.” And a sentence was pronounced on his sins. This was the pronouncement of the Lord. “The sword will never depart from your house because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.” Another punishment pronounced was this-“the son born to you will die.” (Vs. 14c).

This is the background of the above passages cited in the beginning. When his son became seriously sick, David pleaded with God for him. He fasted, prayed, and spent nights in sackcloth on the ground. He refused to get up off the ground, and he stopped eating any food. When the son died after seven days, his attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead because they thought David didn’t take any comfort from them while the child was sick and living. Therefore, how can we bring the bad news of his child’s death?

But when David noticed they were whispering among themselves, he asked whether the child was dead. He asked, “Is the child dead?” They said, “Yes.”

When he heard it, he got up from the ground, washed, changed his clothes. Then he went into the house of the LORD and worshipped. He requested food, and they served him food, and he ate.

His attendants asked him why he was acting this way? David said, “while the child was still active, I fasted and wept. Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live. But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” Then David comforted his wife Bathsheba as well. He went to her, gave birth to another son, and named him Solomon, who became one of the greatest kings of the nation Israel. How do I know Solomon was a great king of Israel? Jesus said like this, “The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom; and now someone greater than Solomon is here.” Jesus was referring to Himself. Jesus agreed that Solomon was great in his kingship.

We can all learn certain lessons from the above story of David.

First, Sin will find yourself. You and I cannot hide sins for a long time. In verse 12, Nathan, the prophet of the LORD, said to David, “You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.” Do we understand the severe consequences of sins? David acknowledged and confessed his Sin to the LORD. He said, “I have sinned against the LORD.” You see, God has seen his sins as a sin against Him only. You know when you do wrong things against other people, always remember this truth. God sees our wrongdoings as sins against Him. He takes our sins very personally.

Based on David’s acknowledgment and confession of his Sin, Nathan said to David, “The LORD has taken away your Sin. You are not going to die. But your son will die.”

David’s LifeLife is spared but did not spare his son’s life. You see, David’s foolish choice and action led to the death of his son. He understood this fact, and that is why he fasted, prayed, and was wearing sackcloth and lying down on the ground.

But here is a more significant principle. When he heard his son was dead, he got up from the ground, washed, ate, and drink. You see, your Life is designed to go on even through the greatest and most severe hits of tragic events and lamentations. We cannot continue in our weeping and crying forever and ever, can we? Not only that, God doesn’t expect us to dwell in our sorrows and despair conditions. There is a time for everything, Solomon said. Refer to Ecclesiastes 3:1-8. It says there “there is a time to be born and die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to weep and a time to laugh, and a time to mourn and a time to dance….”

Don’t make an edifice in the wrong place.

I know some people live in their sorrows for an indefinite time with no light at the end of their tunnel. You know what? They make an edifice right there in the valley of sadness and dwell there permanently. I believe self-centeredness is the reason for this permanent dwelling in the edifice of sorrow, disappointment, and displeasure. These people never raise their eyes to the loving and compassionate LORD in heaven. They are not bothered to claim the wonderful promises of God. You see, God wants you to move forward. You cannot be stuck where you are, which is not God’s best plan for your LifeLife. He wants to learn from what happened. Not to live in the harsh memory of what happened by destroying the joy and potentials you still have from God. Be a learner and not a victim. You see, David had a deeper understanding of God and His character and promises. This is why David acted the way he did, although it was strange to watch for those around him.

Certain things we can adopt in our lifestyle are penned below.

1. Understand you are not alone in your sufferings. Everyone will get his and her fair share of living in this fallen world. It is only a matter of time. So keep enough compassion in your hearts for others. Don’t be arrogant and proud. But keep a humble and lowly spirit.

2. Immerse yourself in the promises of God. There are many in the Bible. One study showed there are 3573 promises in the Bible. These promises of God anchor you deep and strong in your troubled waters. God communicated and warned us about the sheer possibility of sufferings suddenly or at any time, even in the first Bible book ever written – the Book of Job. The Book of Job was written even before the Pentateuch was written (the first five books of the Bible). So this topic of suffering is crucial for the Lord so that we will be ready when our time comes. By the way, don’t be like Job’s friends who came to comfort him and ended up criticizing and ridiculing him. Many act like Job’s friends today.

3. No pain, no gain, or No gains without pains is an old saying but reveals the much spiritual truth. Job said in Job 42:5, “I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.” Job says he had seen God with his own eyes in his sufferings when he finally understood how great and awesome God is when God confronted him with questions that were unanswerable to him. (Job 38-41). There is much potential to know God experientially in your heartbreaking times. There is a possibility to see God with your own eyes, Job says.

4. Understand you need to fully trust in the character of God, stand up and go on with your LifeLife by leaning on Him. Because you cannot undo what happened, you cannot go back, and you cannot be stuck where you are. You need to learn from it, talk to God, agree with the almighty, and move to go on with the Lord.

Your Life is designed to go on through the most challenging and crying times. Bible says in Acts 14:22 that Paul and Barnabas were “strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.

Yes, Indeed, we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.

Do not fall into the trap of religion and legalism as elder brother did.

The parable of the elder brother

“The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'” Luke 15:28-32

The background.

Due to the criticism leveled against Jesus by the Pharisees and religious and the teachers of the Law, Jesus said four parables. The criticism against Jesus by the religious leaders was this – “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” They could not figure out why Jesus welcomes sinners and even eats with them. The sinners and tax collectors were all gathering to Jesus to listen to Him.

We have discussed three parables in the previous lessons. These parables give the answer for their complaints and moreover reveals the heart of the Father in heaven and His Son Jesus Christ, who came to seek and save the lost sinners. We have discussed a lost sheep, a lost coin, a lost son already. Now as a footnote Jesus is adding this fourth parable. Somehow people tend to avoid this elder brother parable. However, there is much to learn from the parable of the elder brother. In fact, it is critically important to understand what Jesus meant us to get from this important footnote by which he ended up the lost parables. If we lose to understand this important addendum, then we lost all about the grace of the Lord. Do you know there are many people in well-known Christian churches who never understood the point Jesus is making in this story?

The background is explained in verses 17 to 24. It says there when the younger brother came to his senses, he said to himself how many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! He made up his mind. He understood the mistake he made. He said I am going back to my father’s house. He said I am going to say to my father, Father, I have sinned against heaven and you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants. As he walked toward his father’s house, he was worried whether his father is going to accept him back because he destroyed all the wealth his father gave him. Now he has nobody, he was living in sin county enjoying the sinful pleasures of the world. When the money is gone, his friends, girlfriends, and all left him. He had no food. He even wanted to eat the pig’s food. However, his master would not even give him pigs food to eat. Such a low estate. This is the outcome of sinful life. It looks pleasureful and attractive. However, the consequences begin to bite back. Are you in such a place now? Are you paying the consequences of your sinful life? Like this young man, get up and walk to the heavenly Father’s home and admit your sins. You are not late. He will embrace you and accept you back to his loving home.

The younger brother came to his sense.

Now his father saw him while he was still a long way off. His father felt compassion for him. He ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him. The son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son. This is all he could say. Even before he could say ‘make me like one of your hired servants, his father interrupted him and ordered to his servants this – quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate.

“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him, and kissed him.

“The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

Celebration began.

You see the father and all his household, including all the servants started celebrating the return of the lost son. Now here comes the older brother. The camera is focused on him now. The elder brother walked toward the house from the field. When he came near, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the servants and asked what was going on. He said, your brother came back home, and the father had killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.

Elder brother angry and won’t go into Father’s house.

Now, look at the attitude and heart of this elder brother. It says there, “the older brother became angry and refused to go in.” He was so filled with a savor that he got angry and refused to step into the house. Therefore the father went out and pleaded with him. However, he said to his father these angry and complaining words. “Look! All these years, I have been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!”

You see the contempt and hatred the elder brother had toward his younger brother when he came back home. He is claiming he never disobeyed his father’s words. This definitely portrays his pride and arrogance. He never disobeyed is definitely a wrong claim. He thinks he is perfect and all good. However, there is no truth in his claim. Secondly, he says this son of yours. He is not considering him as his brother. He has contempt toward his brother and his father, and that is evident in these words. He says this son of yours squandered your property with prostitutes. He can only see the wrong thing his brother did. He could not see his lost condition and no mercy or kindness toward him.

Dearly beloved, if we do not have the heart of the father in heaven and Jesus, he will never show kindness, mercy, compassion, and love to others. Are you seeing people around you with Jesus’ eyes or with your contempt, suspicious and hateful eyes? It all depends on how you and I view people around us. If we do not view people like Jesus and heavenly father does, then we would never reach out to them and show kindness, mercy, and compassion to them.

Characters in the parable.

In this parable, the father of the lost and elder sons is the picture of God- the heavenly Father. He is also a picture of Jesus Christ because Jesus said and is recorded in John 14:9, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.” The Father and Jesus Christ are full of grace, compassion, and love toward sinful people. He loves sinners although he hates sins. Jesus himself said he came to his world to seek and deliver the lost sinners. The lost sheep, the lost coin, and the lost son all show the picture of us who are lost. The prodigal son was rebellious, unrespectful toward his father and left him and went too far country to live a pleasureful and sinful life. He shows our picture. We were far away from God. We did not honor him. We disobeyed God in many ways. We were lost and did not have fellowship and friendship with Him. Now the prodigal son ended up in the pig’s place. He was starving, and no one would give even pigs food for him to eat. In such a low estate, he understood the sin he committed. He arose and decided to go back to his father’s house.

The elder brother lived in Father’s home but never knew the Father’s heart.

Now the elder brother is a picture of someone who is living with the father in his house of grace but never understood the concept of God’s grace, compassion, and love. Listen, it is possible to live in God’s house year after year and do not possess the heart and character of God. This is a scary thought right? You may be going to church and attending all the services. However, you may look different from the Father. Remember the Father is filled with grace, kindness, mercy, and forgiveness. The elder brother although he lived with him all these years, never got the character of his father. He never understood the grace of God. The elder brother is the picture of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the religious teachers of Jesus’s day. The elder brother is the picture of the church-going believers who never understood the heart of the Father in heaven and Jesus Christ. It is a picture of all religions. It is not a picture of true Christianity. I am sad to say such elder brothers are still in our assemblies and Christian churches. Are you one of them? If so this parable is meant for you.

The elder brother was angry when he found out his brother came back home. He was angry toward his father because he accepted and showed love toward him. Do you know what these elder brother-type people do in today’s Christian churches? Suppose one believer messed up his life somehow. Sometimes the mess up may not even be caused by this believer. Maybe someone else did something bad and he got affected. Whatever the situation is these elder brother-type people are adamant that he or she should never be allowed to come back to the church. They would say, ‘do not allow him or her to participate in church activities. They say ‘look at what he or she did. They committed sin. Remember do not accept him back. They consider such a person as an outcast. Such pious acting religious false leaders possess secret sins and immoral lifestyle, but they are quick to blame well-intentioned and grace-oriented believers. The Lord pronounced ‘wow’ on such leaders. “Wow” means judgment already pronounced on them and waiting to get executed.  To make it worse, even after many years still they would not let them off the hook. I know a first-hand experience a Christian congregation which is proudful in their doctrinal knowledge of the Bible, plays these elder brother tactics on an ongoing basis. The leaders of such churches always rehearse and quick to point out what happened in the past. They do never-ending gossip techniques. They are the people of religion like our elder brother in this parable who are in the house of the Father but never grasped the heart of God. They are in the house of God but not belonging to the house like our elder brother in this parable. They attend church services, read the Bible and pray, they give money to Church, but they never got the remotest idea of the heart of the Father in heaven. Year after year they grow in legalism and emphasize performance and excellent ‘outward testimonies’ based life, but never grow in grace, love, and compassion. Such pious acting religious false leaders possess secret sins and immoral lifestyle, but they are quick to blame well-intentioned and grace-oriented believers. The Lord pronounced ‘wow’ on such blind leaders. “Wow” means judgment already pronounced on them and waiting to get executed, unless they repent of their unrighteous actions. 

Bible says in 2nd Timothy2:1, “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” In 2nd Peter 3:18, Peter’s final words are these, “Rather, you must grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” Peter understood and experienced the grace and forgiveness of the Lord Jesus Christ, don’t you know? Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6:1, “As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.”

 

 Who really is our Father in heaven and Jesus Christ?

The LORD God declares about Himself in Exodus 34:6-7, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.” The passages emphasize the character of the Father in heaven. He wants to do mercy over judgments every time. God is merciful, compassionate, forgiving, looking constantly for the wayward children to come home. Bible says God in Psalms 107:87-9, “Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul and fills the hungry soul with goodness.” Psalms 145:9, “The Lord is good to all, and His tender mercies are over all His works.” 1st Chronicles 16:34 says, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” Psalms 145:9 says, “The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”

You see the LORD is good to all people. Listen he is good to all, not just for few self-claimed righteous people- the Bible declares. His compassion is on all he has made. Wonderful truths to keep in mind, right? Jesus said whoever seen him has seen the Father. (John 14:9). Therefore God the Father and Jesus Christ have the same characters.

Religion and Christianity.

Do you know even a Christian can be influenced by the trap of religion? Religion is based on performance, perfect testimony, actions and so forth. Christianity is not a religion. It is based on a relationship with Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Religion says do, do and do. Christianity and grace say, it is already done by the Son of God, Jesus, and now come and receive salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life. Christianity says it is finished. The blood of Christ is already poured out and paid for your sins. Christianity says come and accept the free gift of forgiveness upon confession of your sins and turning to the Lord. The blood of Christ washes away all your sins. When religion looks for performance, true Christianity looks for growth in the grace, love, forgiveness, and compassion of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you still possess the heart of the elder brother, it is time to understand what is grace is all about. Stop getting angry because the Father in heaven loves and accepts sinners when they come home. The Church and believers should celebrate all such occasions.

Jesus said, and it is recorded in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” It does not matter where you were. It does not matter prodigal sons messed up their life and ended up in pigs’ place. Prodigal’s son was in the father’s house. In modern language, he was in the church. However, he became rebellious, disobeying, selfish and demanding. He wanted to spend life in pleasure. However, he came back to his Father’s house, and he ran toward him and kissed him, and celebrated his homecoming.

Those who are elder brothers, who got into traps of religion, listen to this. Father comes out to you and says this, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!'” (Luke 15:31-32).  

If you have not come home to the loving, gracious, and compassionate Father in heaven, you can come home now in a small prayer now. Pray after me. “Father in heaven, I know I am a sinner. I lived away from your presence and love. I repent of my sins and sinful decisions. Please forgive me. I believe Jesus Christ died and rose again for my sins and his blood can wash away all of my sins. Please save me and accept me now. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.”

If you prayed this prayer, please let us know by going to the contact page of www.teachbible.org and sending us a note.

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” John 20:15

Jesus *said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’” 

Mary Magdalene *came and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her. John 20:17-18

As you may be already familiar with, there are more than 300 prophecies about Christ’s first coming that were fulfilled with pinpoint accuracy. That is an amazing number of prophecies that were fulfilled at the time of his first advent. If more than 300 prophecies were fulfilled literally and pint point accuracy, there are three times more prophecies regarding the second coming of Christ. What does it say to us? The second coming of Christ is three times more certain than his first coming.

The mystery of the first Easter.

However, there is one crucial observation we need to make regarding his resurrection. Although there were hundreds of prophecies about Christ’s birth, life, sufferings, and death, which were fulfilled, the old testament Scripture is largely, commonly, and purposefully seems to be silent about the bodily resurrection of Christ. There were somewhat vague hints like Isaiah 53:10-12, Psalm 16, and Psalm 22.

God is all-powerful, omnipotent, omnisient, and omnipresent. However, Satan is not. Satan thought the death and burial would the end of Christ, the promised Messiah. Bible says, then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the twelve.”

 Another observation is this – Although the first prophecy of the savior- regarding the seed of the woman who would crush the head of Satan was, of course, given at the beginning of the human history after the sin and disobedience of our first parent was given in Genesis 3:15- what exactly it means and how the crushing of the head of the Satan would happen down in the history were not explained. It remained largely a mystery not revealed by God. The soon coming resurrection of Christ blinded even Satan after His death. However, he knew about the death of the Messiah.

You see, God kept certain mysteries intact until their fulfillment, and now the resurrection of Christ is revealed and explained how the crushing of the head of Satan happened. How the crushing happened is explained by Paul in Colossian 2:15, the Passion Translation translates the event, “The Jesus made a public spectacle of all the powers of principalities of darkness, stripping away from them every weapon and all their spiritual authority and power to accuse us. And by the power of the cross, Jesus led them around as prisoners in a procession of triumph. Jesus canceled out every legal violation we had on our record and the old arrest warrant that stood to indict us. He erased all our sins, our stained soul-he deleted them, and they cannot be retrieved. Everything we once were in Adam has been placed onto the cross and nailed permanently there as a public display of cancellation.”

The tomb under tight security.

They, energized by the power of darkness, did Everything humanly possible to stay the Jesus body inside the tomb. What were the things they did:

• Matthew recorded in 27:10 a larger stone was rolled against the door of the tomb. This was a heavy-weight stone with over two tones. Only 4 to 5 people could move such a stone. Remember, the women’s worry was who would move such a large stone for them to anoint the body.

• Matthew 27:66 reports, Roman Govt sealed the tomb, which means they made a compound around it and fastened the tomb and the location with cords and sealed it. No one could break the seal of the Roman Empire without an immediate death penalty.

• On top of these, Matthew said in 27:65-66, based on the request of the Jews, the guard was placed around the tomb so that nobody would come and steal the body from it. Now the Roman guard was 16 unit men. If one of the guard members fell asleep, he would be beaten and burned with his own clothes was the severe punishment. Moreover, not only one would be executed, the whole 16 men unit would be executed if one fell asleep while on duty. With this type of tight security, no one would be able to take or steal the body of Jesus from the tomb.

The Chronological events on the first Easter Sunday.

Now let us piece together various events that occurred on the first Easter Sunday with all this tight security around the tomb. By reconciling all Gospel, we come with this chronological developments:

• Jesus rose from the dead sometime in the pre-dawn hours before the Mary Magdalene and the other Mary and women came to the tomb for anointing His body.
• Mathew says an earthquake happened because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, came and rolled away from the stone, and sat upon it- heavy stone of over 2 tons that can be moved only by at least 4-5 people. Remember, the women’s concern was who would move the stone to anoint the body of Jesus.
• The guards shook for fear, became like dead men-knocked unconscious.
• When they woke up, they fled in fear and reported to the Roman Govt what happened.
• Then the early morning after these things, Mary Magdalene and other women came to the tomb- found the tomb empty-they did not find the Lord’s body. (Luke 24:1-12).
• The women were terrified and confused. Two men suddenly stood there in dazzling clothes and said, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? “He is not here, but He has risen.” Still on the empty tomb in Israel.
• They (the women) returned to tell the disciples- they thought they were talking nonsense.
• Peter and John decided to investigate. The two ran together, and John ran ahead of Peter and came to the tomb first
• Looking inside the tomb, John saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in.
• Peter came, following John, entered the tomb and saw the linen wrappings lying there and face cloth which had been on his head not lying with the linen wrappings. However, it was rolled up in a place by itself.
• Now after peter, JohnJohn also entered the tomb, and he saw and believed. It says He (John) believed.
• The whole truth of Christ’s resurrection hit home in John’sJohn’s mind, but I don’t think it home with Peter at this point.
• They went back to their homes-the evidence seen, and the words of Jesus hit home the truth of Christ’s resurrection in John’sJohn’s mind, resulted in faith and belief. Peter may not have been convicted as of yet.

 

The re-focused attention on Mary Magdalene

The disciples went home, but Mary could not. She stood outside the tomb weeping. She was the last one who left the place of crucifixion and the first one who came to the tomb on Easter very early morning. Mary Magdelene came from the village of Magdala on the shore of the sea of Galilee. Luke reports in 8:2 that Jesus cast seven demons (KJV says seven devils) out of Mary. She was totally enslaved and possessed by demonic powers. One demon is bad enough, and seven are seven times worse. Nobody knew how she got into such a pathetic condition. When Christ saved and freed her from the demonic possession, she made up her mind to follow him wherever he goes. She joined with other women to help Jesus and disciples-Luke says in 8:2-3 they contributed to support out of their private means and following Jesus and disciples from village to village to serve Him. She was so devoted to Jesus that she was always seen close to Jesus. When the Lord hung on the cross, she stood nearby with Mary, his mother. When they took the body down from the cross, she was right there to see it. When they placed him in the tomb, she was sitting on the edge of the rock, just opposite to the grave (Matthew 27:61). 

Immediately after the Sabbath restriction was over, on Saturday evening, she purchased spices because she wanted to anoint his body. Remember Jesus was hastily buried on Friday to finish all before the sundown sabbath. As was the custom, they did not get the time and opportunity to anoint his body with spices. And now, early Sunday morning, even before the sun was up, she, along with other women, came in the darkness to the tomb to finish the job of anointing her dear savior’s body.

John saw and believed. They all went back home. However, Mary was confused and weeping, remained standing there. As she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb. She saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and the one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. Nobody is there inside the tomb. They said, “women, why are you weeping? She came with a wrong conclusion- she said the reason of weeping- she said they had taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” At her first visit early in the morning, the angels said to the women, “He is not here, but he has risen. They also said remember how he spoke to you while he was still in Galilee, saying the 

Son of man must be delivered into the hands of the sinful men, and be crucified and the third day rise again, and they remember his words.” You see, she had all the proofs of Christ’s resurrection right in front of her but came with the wrong conclusion.

The compelling pieces of evidence of the resurrection. 

The empty tomb is the most compelling proof throughout history. Larger stone of over 2 tons, the Roman government sealed the tomb with the immediate death penalty. Roman guards consisted of sixteen men, Not only Mary and other women, Peter and John, and all the disciples witnessed the empty tomb. The Roman soldiers saw the incidents and empty tomb and reported to the govt. The Jews saw it. In just a few weeks, when Peter preached and challenged the Jews right near there in 10 minutes walk away from the tomb, the listeners were pierced to their heart and asked them what we shall do now? And 3000 people believed and baptized on the same day near the empty tomb area. That is quite an amazing number of people responded in repentance. They were not fools to get baptized when they heard the news God raised him from the dead, to get baptized and join the church without verifying the fact of the empty tomb. You see, the empty tomb was verifiable then and now and all through history.

In the book of Acts that describes the church’s birth and spontaneous growth in detail, nobody ever disputed or questioned the empty tomb’s truth. No one ever came with the proof that the tomb of Jesus had his body in it. Nobody was able to produce any evidence or evidence of the body, bones, or organs from anywhere. No one ever refuted or challenged the disciples about their christ’s resurrection statements by arguing against the resurrection. If Christ did not rise, where is His body? Why was the tomb empty after three days though it was sealed and guarded by the then world empire- powerful Roman Govt?

The second compelling evidence is the unusual boldness of the disciples. You see, the cowards and frightened disciples who were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, became flaming missionaries and evangelists in a matter of few weeks who challenged the Jews and authorities even in temple courts and public places. What caused such a drastic change in their mental condition. The confused, afraid, shut, and locked inside the room now out on the streets and temple court and places and fanned the flame worldwide.

Jesus arose as He exactly predicted.

All the gospels record what Jesus said to the disciples before his death. Mark said 9:31, “the Son of man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days, he will rise.” Luke recorded 18:31, “Jesus took the twelve aside and told them, we are going up to Jerusalem, and Everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; they will flog him and kill him. On the third day, he will rise again.” Mathew recorded 17:22-23, “when they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day, he will be raised to life.”

The source of our life and resurrection.

At the tomb of Lazarus, this statement, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will live, even though they die.” No one ever made statements like this. (John 11:25). He said those who would believe in Him as their savior and Lord will live again even if they pass through the hard door of death. Why? He is, in fact, the source of life and resurrection. He is the source of both. Our breath comes from him, and also, the resurrection comes from him only. Jesus is the source of your life, your breath, and he gives resurrection if you die and eternal life in heaven- Mark this – to those who believe in him as their savior. Jesus asked Martha do you believe this?

Beloveds, May I ask you this question? Do you believe this? Do you believe Jesus is the source of your life and the source of resurrection? This is the message of the first Easter.

Weeping Mary turned into an announcing missionary.

Now one more point- all the evidence of Christ’s resurrection was right in front of Mary Magdalene. Yet she wept over the sorrow of missing her beloved Jesus. She loved Jesus deeply. However, she missed his physical presence with her. Jesus called her name- Mary! She turned and said to him, Raboni, which means, ‘master.’ How much sweet is your name to you? Jesus called her name with his personal, loving touch. Mary, I am here, and I know you, I love you, and I will be with you. She responded ‘master’- Jesus is the master of all lives, including her life. I see her response as an act of worship. It appears she may have knelt and wrapped her arms around him and not allowing him to leave. I am not going to let you go anymore. However, Jesus said to her, Stop clinging to me. She thought Everything is going to as usual as before. Jesus said, no, but many things are different now. As he explained earlier in Luke 16, there is a great chasm fixed. But Jesus explained the future to her. I am going to ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.

Our weeping is also understandable amid losses. Mary had to let Jesus go to His Father’s presence for bigger and much wider work. Life is letting go. Life is releasing the things to which we cling so closely. We need to let our loved ones go that they might fulfill God’s will and plans. There is a time to cling, and there is a time to stop clinging in God’s calendar. Mary had to let Jesus go for a much wider God’s plan and purpose. We also let people and things go so that God’s best could come.

The two questions Jesus asked Mary are the same questions He asks us today. You put your name in place of Mary. Jesus calls your name and asks, why are you weeping? All the evidence, proofs of Christ’s resurrection, His words are right in front of you. Yet you weep? Is there a real need to weep once the truth hit home, as it did to Mary eventually? Second question- who are you asking? In your pains and sorrows, did Jesus become out of context for you? Are you seeking dead Christ or living Christ? Mary, are you seeking the dead body or letting God’s bigger and wider plan come into your life?

Do you know what change happened to Mary? Those two questions, I believe. Why are you weeping? When you have all the evidence, proofs of Christ’s resurrection, His words, and promises are right there in front of you, then why am I weeping? Mary, whom are you seeking? Are you seeking a dead body to anoint spices, or are you seeking God’s much bigger and wider plan to come into your life?

You see, the weeping Mary became the first witness and missionary of Christ Jesus. NASB translates the next verse, “Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord.” And that He said these things to her. The Greek word says, “Mary came telling!”

That song we sing says Mary came with gloom to the tomb. She wept, continued weeping. However, she left as the first missionary and evangelist –Mary came back with telling. Mary came announcing. She stopped weeping. She stopped seeking the dead body in the tomb. She left all there. She began running back to the disciples. She came announcing. She became the first missionary who said; I have seen the Lord.

I want to end with these comments:

• Christ’s resurrection is the only antidote for your personal failures. It is the only source of hope. It is the only guaranty for your future. There is nothing else out there. Our future hinges around this single event
• Are you still weeping on this beautiful Easter morning? Why should you? Are you weeping because of failures? Weeping due to severe loss? Weeping for some other reason? Are you clinging to the past? You have to let go of your past, losses, or even failures so that God’s new things can come into your life.
• Jesus said He is the resurrection and life. No one would and could make such a statement. He is the source of your life now and the source of your future resurrection if you die. Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life, He who believes in Me shall live even if he dies.” Then Jesus asked, “do you believe this”? He asks do you believe this? Martha, Yes Lord, I believe that you are the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
• If you have not placed your trust in Jesus as your savior yet, please pray with me now from your heart. 
• You can repeat after my words.

 

“Father in heaven, I believe my future hope and victory hinges on Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection on my behalf. I believe Jesus is the resurrection and life and believe and place my trust in Christ Jesus. Please help me to stop weeping. There is no reason to weep when I see the evidence of your resurrection, your promises, and words. Help me seek you and the treasures and wisdom available in you and your word-the Bible. Bless me today, and I allow you to send in your new, bigger, and wider things in my life. Make me your witness and help me to announce you. You turned a weeping Mary Magdalene into the first missionary in this world regardless of her seemingly bleak background. Please save me today and then send me today. I pray may your hand be upon me to do your will in my life. I pray in the name of Christ, my savior. Amen.”

The genuine and bold faith makes a-way when the doors are closed, and there is no way. 

Let us read Mark 2:1-12 for our weekly insight.

“A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

6 Now some teachers of the Law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? 10 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, 11 “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” 12 He got up, took his mat, and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

City of Capernaum and four devoted friends of a disabled man.

Four caring and loving friends of the paralytic men were ready to go any extra miles, at an extra cost, to get him to Jesus. They heard Jesus can do miracles. They heard about the miracles of Jesus in healing people, casting demons out of men, stopping raging storms, and raising people from the dead. The four friends knew Jesus could help him. He might have said to him, look, don’t worry, we will physically carry you there in the mat in which he was lying. They knew, and they knew in their heart Jesus would heal their disabled friend. 

The lesson that amazes us is when they came to the house where Jesus was teaching, they did something unusual and unorthodox that proves their courageous and risk-taking faith in the Lord Jesus. Hang on we will discuss this later. 

 The Bible does not give the name of the paralyzed man or his devoted friends. It does not say how long these friends carried him physically to the house Jesus was teaching. However, the Bible describes the incident’s melodramatic account and what their unorthodox steps compelled by the bold faith in Jesus resulted in. It is a breathtaking incident. 

Mark says in chapter 2 that Jesus again entered Capernaum. Capernaum was the place where Jesus did many miracles and ministered extensively. The chapter 1:21, Jesus went to Capernaum and began to teach in a synagogue. The people were amazed at his teaching. Not only people loved his miracles, but they also cherished his teachings. A man possessed by an unclean spirit cried out said to Jesus, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!” You see, the demons recognized who Jesus really is. They acknowledged ‘the Holy One of God!” Jesus said to him, “be quiet!” and said sternly, “come out of him. The impure spirit shook the man violently and came out of him with a shriek. People wandered and said, “He even gives orders to unclean spirits, and they obey Him.” News about Jesus spread all around. In Simon’s house, his mother-in-law was sick on the bed. Jesus went up to her, took her hand, and helped her up. The fever left, and she began to serve them. 

After sunset, the people bought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. It says the whole town gathered at the door of the house, which is Peter’s house. Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He drove out many demons. It says in verse 34 that demons knew who Jesus was. Then Jesus left there to nearby villages. He traveled through the Galilee preaching in the synagogues and driving out demons. 

Now chapter 2 begins by saying a few days later, Jesus entered Capernaum again. Jesus is again back at the same home- the house of Simon Peter. People heard He is back in the house, and they gathered in large numbers. All rooms were filled with people. People were at the door of the house and even outside of it. You see, people wanted to see the miracles of Jesus. Also, they wanted to listen to his teaching with authority and compassion. 

The four friends of the paralyzed man heard Jesus is in the house of Simon Peter. They may have told their friend something like this – we are going to carry you there. Jesus will heal you fully today. They were excited to see their friend getting healed, and they did not mind carrying him in his mat to the house where Jesus was. They loved their friend who is in trouble and wanted to get him healed. 

Faith and action.

The first lesson I learned is this- you will be ready to take dramatic steps due to your faith in Jesus. Your faith and action go hand in hand. Your faith in Jesus prompts your committed and caring actions. You may not be able to do multi activities that prove your faith. However, you would show-forth at least one area of action because of your faith in the Lord. 

It is your professed faith in Jesus that saves you. It is by your faith in Jesus that you are forgiven of all your sins. It is the faith in Jesus that grants you eternal life. A believer in Jesus can have faith without actions. It is possible. However, sadly, it is a dead faith. James challenges in his book by saying, “show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds.” Your faith in Jesus always causes or results in actions. The more faith you have in Jesus, the more dramatic, bold, and theatric you will reveal your faith. 

As Jesus was teaching inside the house, Matthew, in his gospel, wrote the information that the Pharisees and teacher of the Law were sitting there and listening to Him. The observation of this information is cardinal for the whole story. The Pharisees and the law teachers were people who thought very highly about themselves in the knowledge and understanding of the Law. At the same time, they wanted to listen to the teaching of Jesus because they also loved his teachings to a certain extent. However, they generally disagreed with the claims of Jesus. 

As people loved each word that came out of Jesus, an unusual but touching thing was happening outside the home. Four devoted friends carried a paralyzed man to the house where Jesus was. The paralyzed man cannot move, and his eyes were definitely filled with sadness due to his condition. His friends had injected hope in him again by saying Jesus would heal him completely. So he just thought this might be my day if I can somehow get to Jesus. If my friends can get me there, I can get healed. The moments of his life filled with expectant hope out of his desperate condition. He does not have any hope unless Jesus does something today. He was thinking, help me to get to Jesus. Could you give me a path to get close to Him? His devoted and loving friends were thinking the same way. We love our friend. He can’t move or function. He is hopeless. He needs a word from Jesus. He needs a touch of Him. But the house inside and out was packed with people. And no way to go to Jesus.

Even hearing about Jesus paves the way to blessings.

You see, hearing about Jesus can ignite faith in people. The friends of the person with paralysis heard the wonderworking power of Jesus. They heard about him. They heard he cast demons out of people, they heard even demons acknowledge Jesus as the son of God, they heard about his teachings, and they believed he could help their friend. When you hear about Jesus, divine faith in him will take you to a spiritual discovery and resultant blessings that you ever imagined before. It is essential to hear the truth about Jesus. It is essential to share what you experienced in Jesus with others. As these friends said to the person with paralysis, you can say to your friends that we would carry you to Jesus so that he would heal, help, save and bless you. You see, not only these friends had faith in Jesus, but their faith led them to carry this poor and discouraged man to Jesus. As a result, now the man had expectant hope, if only I can get to Jesus, I would be healed. 

You see, effective faith is contagious faith. If you have effective faith, you will share it with your friends and family. Effective faith is also driven by compassion for others. The four friends had love and compassion for his unfortunate friend, who can’t move. Not only was their faith contagious, but also it was driven by their love and compassion. Their compassion compelled them to carry him to Jesus. They said to him, do not worry, we take you there to Jesus. We know you can’t go there by yourself. We are ready to help and carry you there. You see, faith causes contagiousness and compassion. One of the repeated comments made about Jesus just before He performed miracles was this – He was moved by compassion. Moved by compassion, he touched the coffin of the only son of the widow and raised him from the dead, and gave to her. Touched by compassion, Jesus wept and said loudly, Lazarus come forth. The one who was buried for four days came out from the tomb. The Bible says Jesus looked at the multitudes and moved with compassion because He saw them as sheep without a good shepherd.

Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 5:6 this, “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.” What does it mean? For Jews, Circumcision was a major thing. However, if faith is not working through love, whatever you think highly, let it be circumcision or, for that part, any legalistic arguments, means nothing. 

Genuine faith moves push forward and not backs off

Your traditions, bias thoughts, or cultural upbringings could become an impediment to a faith working through love. Could you stop and think about it? These four friends allowed their faith to work in love by carrying him to Jesus. Maybe they took him many miles. The account does not say how long away they were coming from. However, it was not an easy journey to carry a grown-up man with all his disabilities. However, their contagious and compassionate faith made it happen. 

Now outside the house where Jesus was teaching, the paralytic and his faithful friends are faced with severe roadblocks. A significant barrier to get to Jesus. People are packed and crowded around the house; there is no way to go closer to Jesus. However, their faith was not hindered by the barrier or roadblock they experienced there. 

This is the next observation that you would never miss from the account. They were unaffected, untouched by the roadblock encountered. On the way to Jesus and his touch of miracle, your faith would usually be faced with roadblocks and barriers. However, the friends are determined in their hearts; this is not the end of the game. We are not going to quit. When you face trials and difficulties because of your faith and trust in Jesus, what are you going to do? Your faith in Jesus must be an overcoming faith- a faith that is not obstructed by obstacles on the way. 

You see, your faith pushes you to go forward in barriers and roadblocks. It is never backing off faith. It is pushing forward faith. You see, the devil would say four friends to back off. There is no way to get to Jesus. Just go back. However, faith opens new ways to reach Him. 

Unorthodox move to Jesus

Here you go- They said we could not get to Jesus for his touch. But that is not going to stop us. We are going to change our route. They climbed to the house’s roof because they could not go through the door due to the big crowd. 

They are on the roof just above where Jesus was inside the house. They broke the roof to bring their friend down right where Jesus was. Dust started falling—pieces of roof materials down on the people and Jesus. The Pharisees and teachers of the Law were annoyed for sure. Their eyes pulled out to look up. What are they doing? Upon the roof? What a disturbance right in the middle of the teaching session of Jesus. Political incorrectness. How could these friends offend the feelings and senses of the religious leaders and people inside the house? Jesus lost the audience’s attention. What a nuisance! Here comes a mat with a man in it. However, the man’s face was filled with faith and hope for his deliverance from debilitating disease. His friend’s faith shined through their tired eyes, looking at Jesus with anguished hope. 

I can imagine the religious gurus, says how they could do this rude behavior, messing up the holy messages given by Jesus? How come they became so dis-respective to the teacher and audience? On top of that, Simon Peter’s house roof is broken. I do not have enough money to replace my roof. Amid all the bad feelings of religious leaders, audiences, and Peter, could you focus on Jesus? He saw the disturbed and troubled hope and faith in them. He did not criticize or say a word against them. Jesus saw their faith in him that moved with action.

Remember, Jesus does not need conventional means to come to him. To get his touch and blessings, some times, you may have to go a different route or unorthodox way. 

Eyes are locked in.

Eyes locked. Paralytic man’s eyes and Jesus’s. Four devoted friends and Jesus’s. What a moment! The roof broke, and a man is lowered to Jesus with all its noise and trashed flying around. Helpless man with eyes filled with distressed hope. Four other eyes are pleading help, mercy, and healing for their beloved friend. 

People like and defend legalism and political correctness. Jesus doesn’t. He looks for anguished and expectant hope resulting from bold faith. This was true in the case of the woman who had a life-long bleeding issue, and that incident is described in Mark 5:25-34 and many other instances. 

First thing first always.

Then Jesus immediately responded and said to the paralyzed man, “Your sins are forgiven.” The man did not say anything to Jesus. His friends did not say anything to Jesus. But Jesus responded to their ardent faith and offered forgiveness of sins to the paralytic man. The friends thought we did not bring him to you, not for that – but we brought him for healing. However, Jesus, who knew all about him, the first thing needed attention first. First, healing must be forgiveness of sins. The sins issue is more significant than any disease issue. If you have debilitative sickness, that won’t take you to hell after death. However, a man who does not address his sins and not needing the only savior, Jesus Christ, would end up there; first thing always comes first. Jesus said, “your sins are forgiven.” By the way, Jesus is the only one who can forgive your sins. No other religious gurus or priests could or would do it. You need Jesus to get you healed inside and make you free from the power and consequences of sins. You need forgiveness from Jesus. That is the first and urgent thing all people need. 

Secondly, after taking care of the first thing, Jesus said to him, “Get up, take your mat and walk.” The paralytic man immediately got up, took his mat, and walked out in full view of them all. It says there, “this amazed everyone, and they praised God, saying, we have never seen anything like this!” 

Few re-caps from our insight:

• If you hear about Jesus, you are blessed than others because your hearing about Jesus would ignite faith and trust in Him, which would result in wonder-working results for you. The people in the town of Capernaum heard about Jesus; their faith was ignited, energized, and resulted in healing, deliverance, and salvation.

• Hearing about Jesus creates willingness and soft hearts to test and try what he offers- the paralytic man allowed his friends to carry him to Jesus even though the journey was hard and difficult for him to be a disabled man. 

• If you have faith in Jesus, you would even take dramatic steps toward Him and His touch. The four friends teach us this lesson.

• Your faith in Jesus is contagious, and it springs from love and compassion- the four friends teach us this lesson.

• Your genuine faith in Jesus would not be alarmed or stopped by roadblocks/barriers. The account of four men and the paralytic teach us this. 
• Your faith in Jesus may compel you to take unconventional and unorthodox steps and moves toward Him on certain occasions.

• Your faith in Jesus would be tested severely by legalism, human conventions, traditional and cultural thoughts.

• However, our courageous and ardent steps of genuine faith in Jesus would give fruits/successful results

• The first thing always comes first. We all need forgiveness of sins from the Lord Jesus. None of our sicknesses has the potential to take you to hell at the time of our death. However, without the only Savior Jesus God offers, people would end up there. 

• Forgiveness of sins paves the way for other divine healings in our lives.

 

A time of reflection and taking inventory of life is foundational for expedited spiritual growth.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Reflection, contemplation, or taking an inventory of the past life is foundational for your future spiritual growth. It can also cause expedited spiritual growth.

I am not talking about the practice of reading the Bible. The reading and pondering over the Bible verses must be a daily quality time in your personal life.

However, I am now talking about taking time to think over your past, present, and planning for the future. As we begin the new year, it is a good time to take an inventory of life, seriously analyze your past experiences, and think about your life goals. Every individual has only one life- short or long- it must seriously be thought after and planned to your best ability based on the wisdom and counsel God grants in their hearts. I understand we had a hectic and painful 2020 all around the world. We may not have time to reflect seriously on those agonizing months of the past. However, after witnessing all that you have seen and heard, a time of solemn reflection may be an excellent idea.  

What I should do? I will give some guidelines as follows:

What lessons did God teach me from my very childhood, especially during the last year/few years? Please write it down.

Did I face with losses? What are those losses? Did I learn a lesson out of it? In short, what God taught me through it all? Write down all losses.

What are the blessings God gave me? Again write it down. Did God I learned a lesson from it? What did God teach me?

What are the unique desires, skills, or abilities I have? Write down those desires, skills, or abilities. How did you use those desires, skills, or abilities in the past? Was it successful? Did people get benefit from it?

If you are a believer in Christ, did you get a special spiritual gift after your professed faith in Christ?

Did I hurt someone? Should I seek forgiveness from them or God?

Did someone hurt you? Would I be able to forgive them and move on in life? If not yet, pray to God to give you the strength to forgive and move on.

What are some of the Bible verses that you loved and cherished in your heart? What excites you about God and His word?

Did God give any particular concern or burden in your heart after you came to know Him personally through Jesus Christ? If so, what are they?

These are some of the past inventory lists? Prayerfully read the answers again and again. Pray to God in the name of Jesus to give you insights and wisdom about what you must do this year or in coming years.

Now you are on track to set a goal by trusting and leaning on the Lord. What do you think you must do for the rest of your life, based on all the above items considered?

Any Bible verse or verses come to your mind now? Or one that motivated you in the past? What is/are verses? Go to those verses and read them prayerfully. Are you getting counsel/guidance from the Holy Spirit of God, based on those Bible verses?

Many, many years ago, in such a lonely, reflection time, God placed a strong idea in my heart when I was 24 years. Let me tell you, everything that happened after was linked to that evening reflection time. Good or bad, all are related to that evening. Such is the power of a reflection time with God for your future. 

Our insight says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

Start working on the God-given plan without delay, just one step at a time. For example, when God placed a strong desire in my heart for the teachbible.org website, I did not know how to do it. I am not a technically oriented person. But I began reading about building a website day and night. I spent hours and hours of research and study. Followed the step by step procedures laid out for a website by skillful people. Sought help from a company who offered initial set up assistance. If God places in your heart to study His Word-the Bible- search for the best Bible teaching seminary available in your area. A Bible college/ seminary stands for the eternal truths of the Bible and trains you to develop a Biblical world view based on the Scriptures. The one I selected was Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, Texas.

The years I spent there changed my life in unspeakable ways. Please do take steps without delay. You should not worry about how it all going to happen. God typically opens and reveals matters one step a time. He knows the big picture and your future when you give it His hands. Just take initial steps, and the Lord will carry you through by showing more steps when you take initial steps trusting and leaning on Him. And see where the Lord takes you with the ideas He placed in your heart. Just be an instrument in the hands of the Lord and give control to Him to fulfill the idea or vision. Give your time and energy from your side to make the idea come to fruition. See how God takes it from there and fulfill it.  

Listen closely to what today’s insight says: 

• Trust in the Lord with all your heart- do not trust in your strength or other people. Only trust in the Lord and His power.
• Now, remember not to lean on your own understanding because God so great in power, strength, and resources to fulfill what He want to do in and through your life this year.
• In all your ways, submit to Him- always, always, always fully submit (surrender) to him. He is going to do great things, not you or your skills, ability, or resources.
• God promises He will make your path straight- means He will guide you, counsel you, and make it successful for you.

“Father in heaven, Thank you for talking to me today. I am ready to take a reflection, a solemn inventory assessment time. Let me look back on what I learned in life through various good and bad life experiences. Please energize and motivate me to set my life goals by trusting and leaning on you and the wisdom you promised. I know I have only one life. I want to use my life, fulfilling your will and plan. I am sorry for my sins and shortcomings in the past. Please forgive me. I believe Jesus died, buried, and rose again for me. I pray Jesus, please wash and cleanse me today. Please show me your ways so that I may walk in it and fulfill your purpose for my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.”

 The meaning of the name “I AM WHO I AM” and its implication in Christmas.

The Context of the phrase.

The context is all about describing the meaning of the Bible passages. The context’s importance is vital in our understanding of the name “I AM WHO I AM. 

The Book of Exodus is the second book in the Holy Scriptures called the Bible. The book describes how the children of Israel (Jacob) became slaves in Egypt’s land after the years following Joseph’s death, the Hebrew Prime Minister in Egypt. It also says how God multiplied their numbers. There were only seventy who came to Egypt during the famine time to gather food. They ended up living there. However, God multiplied their numbers. They became numerous so that even the king of Egypt was afraid of their growth in the land. The king of Egypt appointed slave masters over them to oppress with hard work and toil. Their life nothing other than total misery in the land. Chapter two ends with this statement, “The Israelites groaned in their slavery and cried out, and their cry for help because of their slavery went up to God. God heard their groaning, and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and Jacob.  So God looked on the Israelites and was concerned about them.” You see, Israelites groaned and cried in their slavery. Their cry for deliverance went up to God. God’ heard’, ‘remembered,’ saw (or looked on them), and ‘concerned’ about their condition. 

It is interesting to note that God had already planned a future for them by preparing a deliverer even before they cried by their lips. Isn’t it amazing? His name was Moses. God’s sovereignty and providence protected the infant from the order of the king of Egypt to kill all the boys or throw them into the river Nile. Miraculously God saved the life of Moses. He sovereignly allowed the arch-enemy of Israelites (the Pharoah and his court) to raise him and provide him the best education of the day. You see, God was at work amid the misery of the children of Israel to fulfill The covenant He already made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob regarding the promised land, a nation, and future savior of the whole world by whom the families of the earth would be blessed (Genesis 12:1-5). The promised nation requires a great number of people. Therefore, God multiplied them in Egypt’s land and decided to take action to bring them out of Egypt from slavery into the Promised Land to fulfill His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 

Moses, the newborn boy amid miseries, is divinely protected by the Lord God when his parents decided to place him in a papyrus basket in the Nile river. That was a step of faith by the parents by giving the child to the providence and protection of the Lord when Pharoah ordered all boys to be thrown in the river of Nile. God stepped in favor of the infant Moses, and the rest of his life is God’s care and providence for him. The provident hand of God can be understood by the timely arrival of Pharoah’s daughter to take a bath in the river along with her attendants and the rescue of Moses from the river. God gave Moses the best education and training available in those days, even in the king of Egypt’s palace. Moses eventually figured out who he was. He knew him as a Hebrew, a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who is the recipient of God’s covenant promise. One day, when he grew up, he visited his own people and watched them at their hard slavery labor. He watched an Egyptian beating a Hebrew. His anger arose inside, and after looking at both sides and knowing none present, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. The next day he saw two Hebrews fighting. He could not understand and asked why he was hitting his fellow one? The Hebrew man asked Moses, who made you ruler and judge over us? Are you try to kill me like you killed the Egyptians. Moses understood that they knew he killed an Egyptian. Even Pharoah heard about the incident and thought to kill Moses. Moses decided to flee away from the palace. 

The Hebrew writer sums it up all in Hebrews 11:25-27. It said that when Moses grew up, he understood God’s unique calling in his life. He wanted to be identified with his own people who are under oppression. He refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. Instead, he chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting or passing pleasure of sin. He regarded the disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the great treasures of Egypt. The reason was that he was looking for a reward from God. So he left Egypt and the palace, not fearing the anger of the king. 

For the next forty years, he lived in exile in the land of Midian, in the Arabian peninsula, married to a daughter of the priest of Midian, Zipporah, and did the work of taking care of the sheep of his father in law-a shepherd. There God had trained him to become a future shepherd of His own people when God calls him at the appropriate time in His calendar. You see, Moses had roller coaster experiences in his life. From the Nile River to the palace as the King of Egypt’s adopted grandchild, with the prospect of becoming the future king of Egypt. From palace to exile to do the lowly work of taking care of his father’s sheep in law.

The time of God’s unique call arrived in his life as he was tending the flock of his father-in-law, the priest of Media, and he led the flock to the mountain of God in Horeb. The LORD appeared to him from within a bush. Moses witnessed an unusual sight. The bush was on fire, and it did not burn up. He thought he would go over and see the strange sight. He wanted to know why the bush does not burn up. When the LORD saw he came to look closely, He called from within the bush, “Moses!Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.” The LORD said He had seen the misery of His people in Egypt. He said He heard them crying out due to their slave drivers. He said He was concerned about them. He also said He came down to rescue them from the Egyptians’ hand and bring them out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey. Then the LORD said to Moses I AM sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.’ 

At this time, Moses asked two questions. He said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt? God said to him, “I will be with you.” Moses had a second question, and it said, “if they ask me, what is his name?” Then what I shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. You are to say to the Israelites,” “I AM sent me to you.” God gave one more explanation to Moses. He said, “Say to the Israelites, The LORD, the God of your fathers-the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob-has sent me to you.” “This is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation.”

 

Meaning of “I AM WHO IAM”  

 

Now, after understanding the detailed backgrounds, what are the main observations we can come up with? First of all, Moses, being lived in the land of Midian, would have been familiar with the Canaanite gods’ name, like Baal and Asherah. He was also familiar with the many Egyptian human-made gods. But he now heard a totally unexpected name. The meaning of the phrase based on the original Hebrew language could be – “I AM WHO I AM,” “I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE” OR I WILL BECOME WHOEVER I BECOME.  The book of Revelations 1:8 gives a little bit more glimpse to the phrase “I AM.” It says there, “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and was and is to come—the Almighty. I AM means the Alpha and the Omega. Alpha and Omega means the “the First and the Last”, beginning and the end.” (Revelation 22:13). Revelation 1:8 gives an additional meaning of I AM, and that is “who is and was and is to come.” It gives two meanings about the LORD God- His eternal and ever-present nature. The God who sends Moses to deliver people from their misery is the only God, and there is no other God. He is not one like the man fabricated gods like Egyptian or Canaanite or other gods. He is the only God. God said in Isaiah 45:5, I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me, there is no God.” The true and only God is eternal and ever-present with His people. Ever-present means past, present, and future – all the time. Remember Jesus said, and it is recorded in John 8:48, “Before Abraham was, I AM.” The LORD is always present. Past, present, and future are all ever-present for Him. Jesus did not say before Abraham, I was. Make a note the LORD is always, “I AM.” He was ever-present in the past, present, and future. The LORD said to Moses in Exodus 3:12 that “I will be with you” when Moses asked, who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the people from Egypt? He knew his inabilities, weaknesses, and failures. However, God said He would be with Moses. He will be with Moses no matter what. “I AM WHO IAM” AND “I WILL BECOME WHOEVER I BECOME.” Both meanings can be applied to the phrase when we learn the original meaning. 

This takes us to the tri-focused meanings of I AM WHO I AM means God’s presence with His people in the past, His presence with them now, and His assured presence with them in the future. The phrase I AM WHO I AM also means God’s immutability and his unending faithfulness. Changed circumstances or even His people’s failures do not affect the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is faithful, although things may look bad and hopeless at present in the lives of the Israelites. The phrase also means God is immanent and transcendent at the same time. God is Holy and distinct from us. However, He was also near us as He appeared to Moses in the burning bush that did not get burned due to His presence. The transcendent God said to Moses He came down to rescue them from the Egyptians’ hands and lead them to the promised land. The transcendency and immanency of the LORD are pictured in the pages of the Bible. You see, the children of Israel were burning in the oppression and slavery. However, the LORD –the great I AM WHO I AM, was present in their miseries, and consequentially they are not going to be burned up. The LORD was present with Moses all through his roller-coaster life experiences. The I AM WHO I AM was present with him in the past, now presently, and would be with him in the future.

The transcendent LORD became immanent to all of us in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Bible says in John 1 that the eternal Word, who was God, became flesh and made His dwelling among us in Jesus Christ. God promises and says, “Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.” Jesus said the ever-presence, and it is recorded in Matthew 28:20 9(b) that “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” The immutability of Jesus is also stated in Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” 

 

Application:

The name of the true God is “I AM WHO I AM.” He also declared this is my name forever, the name you shall call me from generation to generation. It means the LORD as I AM had been present with his people in the past, present right now, and would be present always in the future. He has been present with their forefathers –Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He has been present with them in their miseries. He heard their groaning and cried for help. Now He is going to deliver them from their slavery by his strong and outstretched power. He would indeed present with them in the future. The same truth applies to the chosen deliverer – Moses. God had been present with him from his infancy stage in the river of Nile to the life in the palace and the long exile period. He is now present to use Him as the deliverer for His people. He promised He would be with him despite his weaknesses, inability, and past fallen records. He is the God who will never abandon us. 

Secondly, not only is the LORD ever present with his people, but also He is immanent in their needs and problems, although He is different and transcendent from all of us. The one who appeared to Moses in many simple bushes can approach us and commission us for his work in the most simple and unexpected ways. 

Thirdly, the God who revealed Himself in the pages of the Bible is the only true God. No other exists. He is the eternal God –the beginning and the end or consummation of all. If you want to know the truth about the beginnings and the end of all, the God of the Bible is the source of it all. All words recorded in the pages of the Bible are breathed out of Him. He is the source of all truth. Get connected to Him to know the truth about all. 

Finally, I want to bring to your attention one important observation that we must never miss out on the name “I AM WHO I AM.” Isaiah the prophet said centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ this in Isaiah 7:14, “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” What is the word ‘Immanuel’ mean? It means simply God is with us. God said to Moses in Exodus 3:12,” I will be with you.” Immanuel means “God with us.” Matthew later said the above LORDs message in Isaiah 7:14 is fulfilled at the time of the birth of Jesus Christ. He says about the virgin birth of Christ, and God’s presence with us that were promised in the old testament scriptures was fulfilled in Jesus. Matthew recorded in chapter 1:23 and listen carefully, “All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet” “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!

     She will give birth to a son,

 and they will call him Immanuel

     which means ‘God is with us.”

Jesus is ‘God is with us.’ This is what we are about to celebrate a few days from today on Christmas day. God is with us in Jesus Christ. Jesus is the eternal Word, eternal God who became flesh to save us from our sins and mistakes. (John, 1). He said, “before Abraham was, I AM.” (John 8:58). He is the great I AM who appeared to Moses in the burning bush and promised His presence with him. He is the one who expressed himself by the name of I AM WHO I AM. He is the transcendent God who became immanent to us. He is the eternal God. He is the beginning and end. He is the Alpha and Omega. He is the faithful God who never leaves us nor forsakes us. He is the ever-present almighty God who can help us in our needs. He is our savior. He is our hope. He is the covenant-keeping God. He is the only one who never abandons us. He is the “I AM WHO I AM”. He is the “I will be whomever I will become” for His people’s sake. 

The assurance the Lord gave to Moses is the same assurance He gives to you today. I AM WHO I AM. I WILL BE WHO I WILL BE. Both meanings are applicable to the original words recorded in Exodus. The one who knew you before your birth, when you were in darkness in your mother’s womb, the one who knitted you together, fashioned you there, the one who led you so far, would be with you always in the future. He will not leave nor abandon you. There may be times in your life that you think God does not care or know your struggles. However, as He is truly transcendent, He also is truly immanent in your issues, miseries, and all circumstances, as He was with the children of Israel and Moses. 

 

The message of Christmas

is the transcendent God became immanent (Immanuel-God with us) in the person and work of Jesus Christ. This is the message Christmas brings to our minds. You do not need to look for God anywhere else. You do not create God by human fabrications. You do not worship the creations like Sun, moon, or any created things. They are all created by the great I AM- the LORD God. You call upon the name of the great I AM who revealed Himself in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

This 2020 Christmas knocks at your heart’s door with an invitation to come and embrace Jesus as your savior and Lord. He promises His presence, salvation, deliverance, forgiveness, and eternal life for you in heaven with Him because He carried your sins on his divine and sinless body, went to the cross, died in your place for your sins, buried and rose again victoriously to save and give you a future and hope. The ultimate deliverance and salvation from the slavery and bondage of sins and the consequent judgments are found in the Gospel or the good news that Jesus paid it all and come home by accepting Him as your savior and Lord. May the 2020 Christmas brings to light the eternal truth of the way of salvation and eternal life in your hearts. 

“Father in heaven, I come to you the I AM WHO I AM, the LORD in heaven. I understand the significance of Christmas and what you have done for me. I need Jesus because He became flesh, took my sins on his body, went to the cross, died, and rose again to save me and grant me forgiveness and eternal life with you in heaven. I believe Jesus as my savior and Lord. Please forgive my sins and save me today. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.”