Jesus the Savior of the world!! John 3:16-18
There is a rest in Him that we can only enter into by faith.
1 Timothy 4:9-11
9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. 10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe. 11 These things command and teach. The New King James Version
From the very beginning with the fall of Adam God planned salvation and the redemption of mankind in Jesus.
John 5:9-10 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.
Jesus came to the Jews but they had to believe that He was their King sent to them by God in order to receive the Kingdom promised to them. They, as a whole, did not.
Exodus 23:20 “Behold, I send an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Beware of Him and obey His voice; do not provoke Him, for He will not pardon your transgressions; for My name is in Him. But if you indeed obey His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.
God had a plan to rescue Israel from the beginning and in the end to prepare a place for all those who believe. His rescue was fulfilled in Jesus the King and Messiah of Israel.
Numbers 13:27 Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.”
They did not take God at His word. God cannot lie. Their unbelief stopped them from entering into their promised land.
Hebrews 3:8-15
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion,
In the day of trial in the wilderness,
Where your fathers tested Me, tried Me,
And saw My works forty years.
Therefore I was angry with that generation,
And said, ‘They always go astray in their heart,
And they have not known My ways.’
So I swore in My wrath,
‘They shall not enter My rest.’ ”
Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, while it is called “Today,” lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we have become partakers of Christ if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end, while it is said:
“Today, if you will hear His voice,
Do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”
Today unbelief and rejection of the salvation that God offers us in Jesus is the only decision that can separate us from Him.
Romans 8:16-17 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.
Holy Spirit in us as believers unleashes God’s power in our lives. Carla
Savior of all men describes God as the One who gives life, breath, and existence to all. Especially of those who believe draws a contrast between God’s common grace to all and His special saving grace to those who trust Him as their Savior. The NKJV Study Bible
The Greek word used here for we labor, kopiaō, refers to the missionary efforts to strengthen believers. Hope is a confident expectation of God’s promises, not wishful thinking. Faithlife Study Bible
If Christ be thus the Saviour of all men, then much more will he be the Rewarder of those who seek and serve him; he will provide well for those whom he has made new creatures. Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary
1 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.
1 Timothy 2:4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
…there are two spaces in our lives. And both are important. In the first space, we generate activity, productivity, accomplishment and achievement (and yes, busyness, worry and a wee bit of stress). In this space we carry our calendars, our smart phones, and our to-do lists. (And how unnerving it can be when life’s storms remind us that there is more to life than the emphasis on busyness and preoccupation.)
And yes, there is a second space. In this space we find sanctuary, quiet, reflection, contemplation, and meditation. In this space is born prayer, music, poetry, friendship, amazement, awe, wonder, renewal, and if we are lucky, unrepentant napping.
In other words, I measure my identity in output and proficiency. It’s just that affirmation is not likely in a "we-want-it-now," "are-you-keeping-busy," "what-have-you-done-for-me-lately," "are-you-somebody," "super-size-that-please" world.
It's not just about being drained. It’s almost like a paralysis. I am not present. I can't absorb beauty. I go through the motions, as if I have lost touch with all the good stuff: gladness, wonder, grace, compassion, hope and passion.
Sabbath space is an invitation to recover what gets lost in the bustle and commotion from life’s uncertainties.
An invitation to hit the reset button.
An invitation to come home.
Sabbath Moments
May this new day go easy on your heart, be gentle on your soul, comfort your worries and grow your hope. Mary Davis
John 1:11 (CSB) "He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him."
Jesus holds the world together, but the world did not recognize Him.
God used the Old Testament prophets to point His people to the true and long-awaited Messiah…John 1, we read what commentators Matt Carter and Josh Wredberg call "one of the saddest verses in the Bible." It describes how Jesus came to earth, to the people He created, but they didn't recognize Him (John 1:11).
Long ago, God didn't just give a hint or two about what to expect from the future Messiah. In fact, the Old Testament contains more than 300 messianic prophecies. This brief list shows just a few of the prophecies Jesus fulfilled:
● He was born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:5-6).
● He was born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25).
● He was from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10; Hebrews 7:14).
● He was a descendent of David (Jeremiah 23:5; Matthew 1:1).
● A king killed children in an attempt to kill Him (Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:16-18).
● He was presented with gifts (Psalm 72:10; Matthew 2:11).
● A messenger went before Him to prepare His way (Isaiah 40:3-4; Mark 1:2-8; John 1:6-8).
● He taught wisely, using parables or stories (Psalm 78:2-4; Matthew 13:10-13).
He entered Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9; Luke 19:35-37).
● He was betrayed by a friend (Psalm 41:9; Matthew 10:4).
● He remained silent when accused (Isaiah 53:7; Mark 15:4-5).
● When He died, none of His bones were broken (Exodus 12:46; Psalm 34:20; John 19:33-36).
● People gambled for His garments (Psalm 22:18; John 19:23-24).
From the moment Adam and Eve sinned, there has been separation between God and humanity. But in His grace, God also promised a coming Messiah who would defeat sin and Satan forever (Genesis 3:15).
Friends, Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise.
God's people thought they were waiting on a dominant military leader to establish a merely earthly kingdom, but Jesus came as a humble servant leader to establish an eternal Kingdom. So many people rejected Jesus because He wasn't what they expected (John 1:10-11). This is still true today. But for those who do accept Jesus, "he [gives] them the right to be children of God" (John 1:12, CSB). There is no one else who can save us from our sins (Acts 4:12).
By grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone, we don't have to live alone ever again.
John 1:1-3 uses the Greek word logos, which we translate as "the Word," to refer to Jesus: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created" (CSB).
In his first three sentences, John lays out these truths:
1. Jesus existed before the creation of the world.
2. Jesus was with God in the beginning.
3. Jesus is God (and after His incarnation, He is forever fully man and fully God).
4. Jesus was active in the creation of the world.
At the end of his Gospel, John clarified that encouraging people to believe in Jesus and receive eternal life in Him was his entire purpose in writing: "These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name" (John 20:31, CSB).
First5
Some years ago I attended a San Antonio Spurs basketball game. It was the final game of the regular season, and it was unique because it did not matter. The Spurs had already won their division. The game had no bearing on their standings.
The game intrigued this preacher.
I saw a sermon illustration waiting to happen. Christians occupy the same spot that the Spurs did. According to the Bible, we’ve already won. According to prophecy, victory is secure. According to the message of grace and the death of Christ on the cross, no one can snatch us from our Father’s hand.
So how do we behave in the meantime? Well the Spurs were a good example. They were relaxed, confident, and happy, and they won the game. In these last days show up, play hard, and be happy. After all, the victory is secure. Max Lucado
