Is your family too busy to pray?
I am praying for my family today.
Romans 1:
9 God knows how often I pray for you.
Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.
10 One of the things I always pray for is the opportunity, God willing, to come at last to see you.
“This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
I am well pleased in some things: like how hard he has worked and what he has achieved as part of his football team. In other things: I am not so well pleased.
We know that this quote is not mine alone and that the original speaks of another Son.
Yet I would like you to think of God our Father in a more Personal way. I would like you to have a more personal picture of God’s only son Jesus.
Imagine that Jesus grew up doing other things (like football) that boys and young men do as part of their preparation for what God, our Father has planned for their life.
Can you picture our Heavenly Father saying, “I am well pleased,” when He watches every play of that football game?
Of course, God our Father witnessed this of his only Son: Jesus.
You probably haven’t thought much about Luke 2 past the familiar Christmas pageant scriptures.
Jesus of Nazareth, as he was known, was born of a virgin… And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. – Luke 2:40
You know the story that follows: Jesus was twelve and remained in Jerusalem after His parent’s left for Nazareth without Him. We don’t know every detail of Jesus’ youth.
God did not reveal much about this young man; but the Father watched over every game and all the challenges of His growing up in obedience to His Father and His step-father, Joseph. Turn the page in Luke’s Gospel and Jesus’ story now continues in about his thirtieth year.
This is one source of our familiar quote when Jesus was baptized AND born again in the Holy Spirit (as we say; but that is a different conversation).
Luke 3:22 And the Holy Spirit descended in bodily form like a dove upon Him, and a voice came from heaven which said, “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
Returning to our personal picture:
Just like I am far from the example of a Perfect Father, our son is not the Perfect Son, either. I am not so pleased in other things with my son; but I love him and pray for him that he will look to the Perfect example of Jesus, with whom our heavenly Father is well-pleased with all things.
We’re thankful that David is not a ‘prodigal son.’ (We know Jesus’ story is a parable about our Heavenly Father.) Our son is not a rebellious prodigal anymore than King David was a prodigal when he sinned against God with Bathsheba.
Our David is not the resentful son who would not rejoice with the father when the prodigal son was welcomed back to the family. I don’t think my son resents anyone, but loves his family and friends.
While I’m at it, David is my step-son. I am no more his father than Joseph, husband of Mary and father to Jesus’ brothers, was father of Jesus, born to Mary when she was a virgin.
Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son (you may remember) was about adoption.
The resentful son is Israel, chosen sons of God. The prodigal son is the gentiles, nations rebellious to God before Abraham; and their descendants include most of us.
When Jesus was born of Mary, God our Father was not pleased with the Jews.
God was not pleased with the Gentiles (or Nations).
Yet God through his mercy and grace, gave Jew and Gentile alike the welcome of a loving Father to the rebellious sons of the Nations AND of his Chosen family.
“The means of grace is Christ Jesus, in whom God our Father is well-pleased.
So why my picture of David?
Two reasons:
David is my beloved son. His soul is a personal concern of mine.
The Apostle Paul had adopted or mentored a son of the faith, Timothy, who followed his earthly example of righteous leadership of the church, people he loved personally like a father. Paul writes:
Timothy 1:15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.
16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.
Imagine: Christ Jesus came into the world to save you and me. How Personal.
Imagine: The Father condemning His only Son to the suffering and Sacrifice of the Cross for you and me. How personal.
And imagine the confidence we have knowing that the Father will send the Third Person to His obedient children in the HOLY Spirit who follow His Son our Savior.
(Imagine Paul writing to Timothy about his Personal God… imagine me, a step-father to David writing about our Personal God… Imagine God your Father sending the Holy Spirit to you.
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Our Father will always be Personally with you IF you will call on His Son Personally. Christ Jesus.
God will do much more than just watch over you, as He watches your every game (mine too).
Remember, our Heavenly Father, His Heavenly Son and His Holy Spirit all want to hold us very near.
“God’s love for us is Very Personal.
1 Tim. 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear… [more from 1 Peter]
Are you ready for Christ Jesus?
O church, arise and put your armor on.
What is your Christian Social Witness?
DO YOU TALK OF JESUS ONLINE?
Most Christians who spend any time online (facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and other Social networking sites) RARELY mention Jesus.
Oh sure, some of us pin a poster with a nice verse. (Maybe a “Friend” might just happen to see it an get converted.) Do you really think this qualifies as talk of Jesus?
Jesus IS and will return on the clouds… perhaps any day now.
Certainly in terms of 2000 years since our Lord’s promise to return AFTER the Gospel is spread throughout the world, this 21st century must qualify as last days.
“Is there any oil in your lamp of social witness?
Put our your armor, church, my dear brothers & sisters in our Lord.
When everyone in our ‘SOCIAL’ networks is talking about every thing else, WHY are Christians so unwilling to talk of Jesus?
While we spend hour after hour in our ‘SOCIAL’ circles with hardly a mention of Jesus Christ, the Ephesians 6 armor of Christians has become rusty as Dorothy’s Tin Man. (Link provided, in case you forgot where you left your armor.)
Jesus is NOT going to take up everyone when He returns. Don’t you want your Christian Social Witness to help SAVE your ‘FRIENDS from hell?’
A definition may help 21st c. Christians get our ideas of armor out of the middle ages.
any tool or implement for preparing a thing
arms used in warfare, weapons
Another reference to this armor (from the same Greek word) provides additional encouragement for our witness.
– 2 Corinthians 6: We then, as workers together with Him also plead with you not to receive the grace of God in vain. 2 For He says:
“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.
But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God… By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left…
Please SHARE your talk of Jesus with all of us and with your friends. ADD a Comment.
Our Christian Social Witness matters; but above all… before the battle…
O church, arise and put your armor on. *
* “O Church, Arise”
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music