LISTEN to one of the best arguments of Christians to refute the nonsense of supposedly “scientific” skepticism about the RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST after 3 days in a guarded grave.
“So if they were interested in affirming the fact of his death, all they had to do was take the body and put it in the middle of Jerusalem and say,
“Look, don’t let anybody live with any nonsense. Jesus is dead.”
BUT the body of JESUS was not in the tomb!
Pastor Begg makes a notable case about the RESURRECTION which makes so much more sense than EVERY objection by those who REFUSE to believe in Jesus Christ for their own selfish excuses.
A human life is bound in the womb of eternity. In one sense a child is not fully born by its mother into the fullness of life — but only into a helpless and limited mortal life — where babe may become child, child may become man or woman — this quick-passing human life bound in the confines of mortal time followed inevitably by death and judgment.
Born once in a human womb
And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
adam bore both sin and death conceived in a womb of measured time, incomplete and nourished in the blood of our mother — growing to burst forth into a glory beyond the bounds of this place to which we have clung for such a brief time — measured time ended beyond the bounds of our dark inner existence.
What once was death separated from our mortal time within these bounds inevitably becomes life beyond humanity’s brief prison lifted into a glory of the everlasting Light beyond.
And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,
“BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUELG1694,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.”
Christians (and even many unbelievers who have witnessed an annual Christmas pageant) know the Scripture well. But think of its implication as well as the impact of Almighty God entering measured time and mortal flesh.
An anointed Virgin of the Eternal God will have a son by the Holy Spirit of God!
This Son of the Everlasting One IS actually GOD [theos] WITH US [in mortal flesh and blood], BORN — as are all mankind AND who must suffer DEATH as is appointed to EVERY son of man.
Emanu–el – Hebrew Gospel announced in Matthew’s manger
Matthew addresses the genealogy of JESUS EMMANUEL as he would any line of adam.
The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:
I will not detail this linage of the promise of God through Abraham (who was childless) and David (whose Kingdom ended in defeat by Babylon) or that in his Gospel lineage Matthew designates Joseph as the husband of Mary. Matthew then adds that before she conceived JESUS, that is GOD WITH US, by the HOLY SPIRIT [v.18], however note that by these important names Matthew introduces of the LORD GOD in a fragile frame of a HUMAN CHILD.
Χριστός Christós, khris-tos’; from G5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:—Christ. – BLUELETTERBIBLE.ORG
The Christ child
NO other term in the New Testament is used more than CHRIST [500+x] to characterize JESUS. ‘Christians‘ should not take lightly any replacement of CHRIST in Scripture with some less characteristic human title.
Roger@TalkofJesus.com
The Good News of Matthew:
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows:
when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.
And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly [divorcing his betrothed {with whom they ‘had not come together’}]. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,
“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the One who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name
Jesus,
for He will save His people from their sins.”
Did you catch that?
The angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream as commands his to call the child, JESUS.
JESUS, unlike Joshua of the same name before, “Jehovah is salvation,” not only is not born of an earthly father but is NOT sent to SAVE the sons of Abraham from earthly enemies or lay claim to an earthly land as a king.
NO, Jesus, a son of man ONLY by the virgin Mary, “will save His people from their sins,” a mercy ONLY God can grant to a condemned son of adam.
The Good News of John
We began consideration of the Apostle’s Christian logic behind the birth of Jesus into time and human flesh. Today I end with his explanation of what also seems convincingly logical from the Savior who John calls ‘The Word‘ (λόγος – logos).
“Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born [from above] he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
“How can a man be born when he is old? ..
Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
“That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit.
“He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
Will you be born again (though we are old)?
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words [logos] will not pass away.
A word of Jesus Christ from the Gospel of Matthew 24:25
Here is the significance of the Christ child in a manger and the Son of Man Jesus on the cross who was born to save His people from their sins.
Pilate said to them,
“Then, what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”
"Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme" (literally: Awake, the voice is calling us) is a Lutheran hymn written in German by Philipp Nicolai, first published in 1599 together with "Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern".
It appears in German hymnals and in several English hymnals in translations such as "Wake, Awake, for Night Is Flying" (Catherine Winkworth, 1858), "Wake, O wake! with tidings thrilling" (Francis Crawford Burkitt, 1906), and "Up! Awake! From Highest Steeple" (George Ratcliffe Woodward, 1908).
The hymn is known as the foundation of J.S. Bach's chorale cantata Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, BWV 140, as well as being the foundation of settings by other composers.
P. Nicolai wrote the hymn in 1598, a time when the plague had hit. - Source: BachCantatas.com
Wake up, the voice calls us of the watchmen high up on the battlements, wake up, you city of Jerusalem! This hour is called midnight; they call us with a clear voice: where are you, wise virgins ? Get up, the bridegroom comes; Stand up, take your lamps! Hallelujah! Alleluia! Make yourselves ready for the wedding, you must go to meet him!
Zion hears the watchmen sing, her heart leaps for joy, she awakes and gets up in haste. Her friend comes from heaven in his splendour, strong in mercy, mighty in truth. Her light becomes bright, her star rises. Now come, you worthy crown, Lord Jesus, God’s son! Hosanna! We all follow to the hall of joy and share in the Lord’s supper.
May gloria be sung to you with the tongues of men and angels, with harps and with cymbals. The gates are made of twelve pearls, in your city we are companions of the angels on high around your throne. No eye has ever perceived, no ear has ever heard such joy. Therefore we are joyful, hurray, hurray! for ever in sweet rejoicing.
Advent 1
Advent, (from Latin adventus, “coming”), in the Christian church calendar, the period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas and also of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ.
In Western churches, Advent begins on the Sunday nearest to November 30 (St. Andrew’s Day) and is the beginning of the liturgical year.
In many Eastern churches, the Nativity Fast is a similar period of penance and preparation that occurs during the 40 days before Christmas. The date when the season was first observed is uncertain.
Bishop Perpetuus of Tours (461–490) established a fast before Christmas that began on November 11 (St. Martin’s Day), and the Council of Tours (567) mentioned an Advent season.
I’m uncertain in these last days of the Common Era (once commonly called Anno Domini, literally “in the year of ourLord“ IF our church is woke or awake.
(See link to ‘woke’ on TalkofJESUS.com cover page to learn more.)
I’m also not certain if Linus reading Luke is the anti-inclusive message of the Gospel which offends the Holiday spirits of TV audiences, but I suspect that our aversion to ‘christmas‘ with a capital CHRIST (Christ-mass) is a deepening darkness as evident as the coming winter solstice.
The title for this non-series for Advent ignored and ‘christian‘ ‘churches‘ CLOSED on christmaseve, christmas day or BOTH reflects my own nonplus question of why it seems so few christians really want to TALK OF JESUS at all, especially those of our local ‘church.’
Roger@TalkofJESUS.com
In previous years I have also prepared our hearts for Advent.
In fact, December in the year of our Lord 2022 seems to be a time to gather the oil for our lamps that at least some of the virgins might be prepared for Christmas .. in fact, prepared for more.
the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Matthew
Doctrinally, it must be repeated that the belief in the Virgin birth of Christ is of the highest value for the right apprehension of Christ’s unique and sinless personality.
“Then the kingdom of heaven may be compared to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.
“For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps.
“Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout,
‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’
“Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
“But the prudent answered, saying, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’
“And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast;
and the door was shut.
“And later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’
“But he answered and said, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’
“Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know the day nor the hour.
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