Post by foxjj on Dec 10, 2020 8:03:28 GMT
The Birth And Sacrifice Of Jesus
As Christmas approaches, it is important we understand the reason Jesus came into our world at such a violent time in history. The baby of Bethlehem would have a very significant life leading to His sacrificial death. In order to understand the significance of His sacrificial death we must go back to Egypt where The Lord instituted Passover when He had the Hebrew people sacrifice a lamb by which they used its blood to mark their dwellings. In so doing the death angle passed over their homes. After the institution of the Covenant, the people then had the law by which they lived their lives.
In the Book of Hebrews we read of Moses who gave the people the Law:
“When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:19-22 (NIV)
As regards the Law and it’s requirements, Jesus announced that He came among us in order to fulfill them: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” So how did Jesus fulfill the law? By been obedient to The Father and going to The Cross. Hs death became the blood sacrifice for the atonement of sin.
In Colossians 1:19-20, Paul explained it this way: “For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” This is why John the Baptist said of Jesus: “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Because Jesus was The Son of God, He was without sin, consequently, He went to the cross as a spotless sacrifice on behalf of sinful humanity as Isaiah 53:4-6 states: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
During the last Passover that Jesus shared with His Disciples as recorded in Luke 22:20-22 20, Jesus explained that it was predetermined that He would shed His blood for humanity: “Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!” Notice that Jesus said: “the Son of man goeth, as it was determined,” His suffering and death was determined beforehand by God. Consequently, as Jesus died His last words were: “It is finished,” signifying that the final Atoning Sacrifice has been offered thus bringing an end to the Old Covenant, and instigating The New Covenant of Atonement and Reconciliation in His Blood.
It was Paul who wrote “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”(2 Corinthians 5:21) There are many more scriptures teaching it was the blood sacrifice of Jesus that brought Atonement and Reconciliation for all who repent, and thereby accepted His sacrifice on their behalf such as: “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”(1 John 4:9-10)
Today, let us give thanks for the birth, and Atonement of Jesus.
John Joseph Fox.
As Christmas approaches, it is important we understand the reason Jesus came into our world at such a violent time in history. The baby of Bethlehem would have a very significant life leading to His sacrificial death. In order to understand the significance of His sacrificial death we must go back to Egypt where The Lord instituted Passover when He had the Hebrew people sacrifice a lamb by which they used its blood to mark their dwellings. In so doing the death angle passed over their homes. After the institution of the Covenant, the people then had the law by which they lived their lives.
In the Book of Hebrews we read of Moses who gave the people the Law:
“When Moses had proclaimed every command of the law to all the people, he took the blood of calves, together with water, scarlet wool and branches of hyssop, and sprinkled the scroll and all the people. He said, “This is the blood of the covenant, which God has commanded you to keep.” In the same way, he sprinkled with the blood both the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies. In fact, the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (Hebrews 9:19-22 (NIV)
As regards the Law and it’s requirements, Jesus announced that He came among us in order to fulfill them: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.” So how did Jesus fulfill the law? By been obedient to The Father and going to The Cross. Hs death became the blood sacrifice for the atonement of sin.
In Colossians 1:19-20, Paul explained it this way: “For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.” This is why John the Baptist said of Jesus: “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” Because Jesus was The Son of God, He was without sin, consequently, He went to the cross as a spotless sacrifice on behalf of sinful humanity as Isaiah 53:4-6 states: “Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”
During the last Passover that Jesus shared with His Disciples as recorded in Luke 22:20-22 20, Jesus explained that it was predetermined that He would shed His blood for humanity: “Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed!” Notice that Jesus said: “the Son of man goeth, as it was determined,” His suffering and death was determined beforehand by God. Consequently, as Jesus died His last words were: “It is finished,” signifying that the final Atoning Sacrifice has been offered thus bringing an end to the Old Covenant, and instigating The New Covenant of Atonement and Reconciliation in His Blood.
It was Paul who wrote “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”(2 Corinthians 5:21) There are many more scriptures teaching it was the blood sacrifice of Jesus that brought Atonement and Reconciliation for all who repent, and thereby accepted His sacrifice on their behalf such as: “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”(1 John 4:9-10)
Today, let us give thanks for the birth, and Atonement of Jesus.
John Joseph Fox.