"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!" (John 8:58)

Behold The Man!

Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him. And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands. Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him. Then came Jesus forth, wearing the crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate saith unto them, "Behold the man"! (John 19:1-5 KJV)

Krystal Meyers - The Beauty of Grace

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JESUS: OUR ALL-SUFFICIENT SAVIOR
MORE THAN A PROPHET!

Acts 3:1-6 (Monday)
“One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer--at three in the afternoon. Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts. When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for money. Peter looked straight at him, as did John. Then Peter said, "Look at us!" So the man gave them his attention, expecting to get something from them. Then Peter said, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.” (NIV)
1) In vs. 4, we find Peter commanded the lame man to, “Look at us!” Later, in verse 12, Peter is quick to point out that he and John are mere men, unable to accomplish the works of God by their own power. Was Peter merely trying to gain this man’s attention, or do you suppose there was something this man desperately needed to behold, and if so, what was it? (Read 2 Corinthians 3:18.) “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory...”
2) See Luke 4:16-21. “He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read. The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him, and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." Jesus clearly didn’t want His people to misunderstand His mission. In these passages, what does Jesus say was His mission? Was Jesus speaking from a physical or spiritual perspective? Explain.
3) What were His chosen people, the Jews, looking and hoping for? (See 2 Samuel 7:8-13.) ” Now then, tell my servant David, `This is what the LORD Almighty says: I took you from the pasture and from following the flock to be ruler over my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have cut off all your enemies from before you. Now I will make your name great, like the names of the greatest men of the earth. And I will provide a place for my people Israel and will plant them so that they can have a home of their own and no longer be disturbed. Wicked people will not oppress them anymore, as they did at the beginning and have done ever since the time I appointed leaders over my people Israel. I will also give you rest from all your enemies. "`The LORD declares to you that the LORD himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” This prophecy finds its ultimate fulfillment in Christ Jesus, who forever sits on the throne of his ancestor, King David. (See Luke 1:32.) “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end."
4) Were the Jews looking at this passage from a physical (material) or spiritual perspective? What was the real promise behind this passage?
5) The Jews had become puffed up—proud—superior in their relationship with God. Yet, all along, Israel had been given a mission to the world around them. (See Exodus 19:6, “And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation." God again reveals the heart of His intent for His people and their mission in Isaiah 49:6. “"It is too small a thing for you to be my servant to restore the tribes of Jacob and bring back those of Israel I have kept. I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth."
6) Now, you can be sure that God’s intent for the world has not changed! As Christ followers, this commission to be a light for the world now falls on us. See Matthew 5:14-16, “"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Also, it is quite interesting to see what Jesus calls us, His church, in Revelation 1:5-6, “…To him (Christ) who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father…” Sound familiar?
7) Since we are light, priests and a holy nation to our God and Father, what was Jesus’ command to us just before He returned to the Father? (See Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” and Mark 16:15.) “"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”
8) As we study these passages, we can better understand why Peter was so intent in this lame man seeing Jesus. We, too, are surrounded by the lame, the blind—lepers—outcasts. If you are like me, at one point, you were one of them! Take time to read Matthew 5:1-2, the Beatitudes. “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
a) Max Lucado, in his book, “The Applause of Heaven,” has such great insights into those verses! For instance,
i) “The poor in spirit.” He says these “are the people who are aware of their spiritual crisis. Their options are gone. They have long since stopped demanding justice; they are pleading for mercy.” They don’t brag, they beg…They have seen how holy God is and how sinful they are…”
ii) “Blessed are those who mourn...” “To mourn for your sins is a natural outflow of poverty of spirit…Many deny their weaknesses. Many know they are wrong, yet pretend they are right. As a result, they never taste the exquisite sorrow of repentance. Of all the paths to joy, this one has to be the strangest. True blessedness, Jesus says, begins with deep sadness. Blessed are those who know they are in trouble and have enough sense to admit it.”
iii) “Blessed are the meek…” “God dances among the ordinary [and sometimes, that dance is a waltz.] His most powerful tools are the simplest. [God does the most amazing things with stubborn hearts and stiff-necked people. So you know He can do something with the common.] Max points out that “you can see the world standing tall, but to witness the Savior, you have to get on your knees.”
iv) “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…” “Admission of thirst doesn’t come easy for us. False fountains pacify our cravings with sugary swallows of pleasure. But there comes a time when pleasure doesn’t satisfy. There comes a dark hour in every life when the world caves in and we are left trapped in the rubble of reality, parched and dying. Some would rather die than admit it. Others admit it and escape death. “God, I need help.” So, the thirsty come. A ragged lot we are, bound together by broken dreams and collapsed promises. Fortunes that were never made. Families that were never built. Promises that were never kept. Wide-eyed children trapped in the basement of our own failures. And we are thirsty…Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Righteousness. That’s it. That’s what we are thirsty for. We’re thirst for a clean conscience. We crave a clean slate. We yearn for a fresh start. We pray for a hand which will enter the dark cavern of our world and do for us the one thing we can’t do for ourselves—make us right again….God, I’m so thirsty,” we pray. “It is my blood, the blood of the new agreement,” Jesus stated, “shed to set many free from their sins.” And the hand was pierced, and the blood was poured, and the children are saved.”
v) “Blessed are the merciful…” “The merciful, says Jesus, are shown mercy. They witness grace. They are blessed because they are testimonies to a greater goodness. Forgiving others allows us to see how God has forgiven us. The dynamic of giving grace is the key to understanding grace, for it is when we forgive others than we begin to feel what God feels…for the one who tastes God’s grace and then gives it to others, the reward is blessed liberation. The prison door is thrown open and the prisoner set free is yourself…The next time you see or think of the one who broke your heart, look twice. As you look…look also for His face—the face of the One who forgave you. Look into the eyes of the King who wept when you pleaded for mercy. Look into the face of the Father who gave you grace when no one else gave you a chance. Find the face of the God who forgives in the face of your enemy. And then, because God has forgiven you more than you’ll ever be called on to forgive in another, set your enemy—and yourself—free. And allow the hole in your heart to heal.”
vi) “Blessed are the pure in heart…” “The heart is the center of the spiritual life. If the fruit of a tree is bad, you don’t try to fix the fruit; you treat the roots. And if a person’s actions are evil, it’s not enough to change habits, you have to go deeper. You have to go to the heart of the problem, which is the problem of the heart. That is why the state of the heart is so critical…Note the order of this beatitude; first, purify the heart, then you will see God. Clean the refinery, and the result will be a pure product. We usually reverse the order. We try to change the inside by altering the outside. [So, how do we change our hearts? You have to realize that Jesus is building precept upon precept in the Beatitudes. First, you must realize your spiritual poverty, then come to a point of spiritual sorrow or mourning, then these work in you so that you become meek and gentle, like Jesus.] “Then comes mercy. The more you receive, the more you give. You find it easier to give grace because you realize you have been given so much. What has been done to you is nothing compared to what you did to God. For the first time in your life, you have found a permanent joy, a joy that is not dependent upon your whims and actions. It’s a joy from God, a joy no one can take away from you. A sacred delight is placed in your heart. It is sacred because only God can grant it. It is a delight because you would never expect it. And though your heart isn’t perfect, it isn’t rotten. And though you aren’t invincible, at least you’re plugged in. And you can bet that he who made you knows just how to purify you-from the inside out.”
vii) “Blessed are the peacemakers…” “Those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of goodness. The principle for peace is the same as the principle for crops: Never underestimate the power of a seed. How good are you at sowing seeds of peace? You may not be called on to ward off international conflict, but you will have opportunities to do something more vital: to bring inner peace to troubled hearts…Want to see a miracle? Plant a word of love heartdeep in a person’s life. Nurture it with a smile and a prayer, and watch what happens…Sowing seeds of peace is like sowing beans. You don’t know why it works, you just know it does. Seeds are planted, and topsoils of hurt are shoved away. Don’t forget the principle. Never underestimate the power of a seed.”
viii) “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness…” “The good is murdered while the bad smirk. Is this how God rewards his anointed? Is this how He honors His faithful? Is this how God crowns His chosen? [It’s not the injustices of the world, or even death, it is the problem of unmet expectations—that we are in trouble and Jesus is conducting business as usual—and as far as we know, He’s doing it somewhere else! Our circumstances often change, but the question doesn’t. This question has been asked by believer and non-believer alike. “Anytime a person takes a step in the right direction, only to have her feet knocked out from under her, anytime a person does a good deed, but suffers evil results, anytime a person takes a stand, only to end up flat on his face…the questions fall like rain…Does God sometimes sit on his hands? Does God sometimes choose to do nothing? Does God sometimes opt for silence even when [we’re] screaming [our[ loudest? God’s silence! Dear one, it isn’t that God is silent, it’s that we’ve been listening for the wrong answer! Too often, we ask God to solve the temporary, while God is busy building upon the eternal! “Does that mean that Jesus has no regard for injustice? No. He cares about persecutions. He cares about inequities and hunger and prejudice. And He knows the meaning of the phrase, ‘It’s just not right.’” And, it wasn’t right that the Son of God was forced to hear the silence of God. It wasn’t right, but it happened. For while Jesus was on the cross, God did not sit on his hands. He did turn his back. He did ignore the screams of the innocent. Was it right? No. What is fair? No. Was it love? Yes. In a world of injustice. God once and for all tipped the scales in the favor of hope. And he did it by sitting on his hands so that we could know the kingdom of God.”
9) Wow! Have you ever looked at the Beatitudes from this perspective? Can you see how God is always focused on our spiritual welfare—from an eternal perspective?
10) Back to the story. The lame man, for years, had come to this spot. The Beautiful gate was most probably the Eastern gate that led directly into the Temple—a place of worship and prayer. Did he seek anyone’s prayers? Had he dared to enter in and humbly approach God personally for his healing? Had he made any sacrifices—praise offerings? Scripture doesn’t give us that information, but it is clear that this man had become content—compliance—seeming to settle for a few small coins, handed out from time to time by the pious people of his generation. Silver and gold. Worldly treasures. Have you ever settled? Oh, sister, dare to be bold! (See Hebrews 4:16.) “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
11) Believe it or not, not many of us are gifted by the Holy Spirit with the ability to heal or raise up the dead. But, like Peter, what is it that you do have to share? (vs. 6)
12) You’re a believer. Have you ever experienced someone, out of the blue, coming up to you and spilling out their life story? or telling you about some tragic event in their life? What do you think they see that is an irresistible draw? Does this scare you to death or are you willing to “share what you have?”
Acts 3:7-11 (Tuesday)
“Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man's feet and ankles became strong.
8. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.
9. When all the people saw him walking and praising God,
10. they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
11. While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade.” (NIV)
1) Coming face to face with Jesus Christ demands some sort of response. We are either going to turn our backs on him (See Mark 8:38,) “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."or we will respond like this man—become spiritually healed and give praise and honor to our God! Now, I realize that as Baptists we can be quite reserved. But, get real! How reserved do you honestly think we are going to be when we come face to face with our Savior in heaven? So, don’t be afraid to lift up holy hands and shout out a big hallelujah (even if you can only do it in the shower!) So, let me encourage you—turn up the praise music and let the praise out!
2) Take special note here, the people who knew this man healed saw an immediate change. Can people around you see the change or changes Jesus has made in your life? I can only tell you my experience, but like this man, people were astounded and in awe at the work of Christ in my life! Believe me, so was I! So, be that light that God intends us to be and shine!
Acts 3:12-16 (Wednesday)
“When Peter saw this, he said to them: "Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus' name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.”
1) Peter didn’t miss a beat! He seizes upon yet another opportunity to lift up the name of Jesus! Peter quickly and rightly points away from himself and John to the Risen Savior. Are you looking for every opportunity to share Christ? Jesus tells us in John 4:35 to “…open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” Read Isaiah 43:10-11 and 2 Corinthians 5:20) Remember, we are on mission! “You are my witnesses," declares the LORD, "and my servant whom I have chosen…” In Isaiah, God starts out being collective—speaking to all his children, but notice how He switches midstream and makes this a personal statement to all of us individually!
a) “We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.”
2) These passages in the book of Acts take place just a few years after Christ’s resurrection. Many of the people Peter was speaking to may well have been eyewitnesses to all the events that had preceded His death and you can be sure they had at least heard of his resurrection. Since we obviously can’t lay claim to actual sight, what can you share with someone to prove that He is real, alive and lives through you?
3) Peter makes it clear that it is belief in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ that healed the lame man—no other! (See Acts 4:12) “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved."
4) If you think it is possible to do anything for God in your own name, or in your own strength and power, read Acts 19:13-16. “Then certain of the vagabond Jews, exorcists, took upon them to call over them which had evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, We adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preacheth. And there were seven sons of one Sceva, a Jew, and chief of the priests, which did so. And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are ye?And the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, and overcame them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” These men had no personal relationship with Christ—therefore, they could not rely on His authority to cast out these spirits. Not a good idea!
Acts 3:17-21 (Thursday)
“Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you--even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.”
1) Murder by ignorance! God’s chosen people, who lived and breathed the letter of the Law and they didn’t recognize their Messiah! Read Psalm 22, Isaiah 50:6 and Isaiah 53, which was written hundreds of years before Christ.
a) Psalm 22—“ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? O my God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, and am not silent. Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the praise of Israel. In you our fathers put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. They cried to you and were saved; in you they trusted and were not disappointed. But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by men and despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads: "He trusts in the LORD; let the LORD rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him." Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you even at my mother's breast. From birth I was cast upon you; from my mother's womb you have been my God. Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. Roaring lions tearing their prey open their mouths wide against me. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted away within me. My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. Dogs have surrounded me; a band of evil men has encircled me, they have pierced my hands and my feet. I can count all my bones; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my garments among them and cast lots for my clothing. But you, O LORD, be not far off; O my Strength, come quickly to help me. Deliver my life from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen. I will declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise you. You who fear the LORD, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised or disdained the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you will I fulfill my vows. The poor will eat and be satisfied; they who seek the LORD will praise him-- may your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations. All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him-- those who cannot keep themselves alive. Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet unborn-- for he has done it.
b) Isaiah 50:6—“ I offered my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who pulled out my beard; I did not hide my face from mocking and spitting.”
c) Isaiah 53—“ Who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed? He grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away. And who can speak of his descendants? For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was stricken. He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering, he will see his offspring and prolong his days, and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand. After the suffering of his soul, he will see the light [of life] and be satisfied ; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities. Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”
2) As we learned earlier, the Jews were looking for a new world system and a ruler who would deliver them from the oppression of the Roman government. They were looking for health, prosperity and peace on earth! They could not see deeper to the sins of their own souls and how God wanted to heal, rebuild and restore, not a worldly kingdom, but their hearts—to prepare them for their real kingdom—heaven! They had taken portions of scripture and could not see the overall picture God was painting for them. Again, it’s all about perspective and God’s perspective is always eternal! We must be careful in interpreting God’s Word. See 2 Peter 1:20-21. “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”
3) If you feel free, share how God has rebuilt, restored and healed your broken, captive life. Tell about a time you have experienced God’s “wonderful…refreshment.”
Acts 3:22-26 (Friday)
“For Moses said, `The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.' "Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days. And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, `Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.' When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” (NIV)
1) We really can’t be too harsh in our judgment of God’s chosen people not fully grasping God’s plan of redemption. A prophet was given a prophecy here, another prophet was given a prophecy there. Judgment and salvation. Even they didn’t understand fully what they were prophesizing! 1 Peter 1:10-12 tells us that the prophets and yes, even the angels longed to see the full picture: “Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.”
2) Can you think of some ways that Jesus, though far greater, was much like the prophet Moses? Here are some that came to mind. 1) Jesus, the King, leaves the riches of heaven; Moses, a prince, left riches of Egypt 2) Jesus was adopted by Joseph, not his real son; Moses was adopted into Pharaoh’s family, not a real son. 3) Jesus is the Great Shepherd; Moses escapes Egypt and becomes a shepherd; 4) Moses was the leader of the Hebrew children and leads them out of slavery and bondage in Egypt and takes them the physical promise land; Jesus is our King and leads us out sin and death (spiritual Egypt) and takes us into His heavenly kingdom—the real Promise Land. 5) Moses was lead by the Glory of God—a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day; Jesus was filled and moved by the Spirit of the Living God—and actually, He was God! Colossians 2:9. “For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form…”
3) The Jews are heirs to God’s covenant promises. (See Romans 9:3-5.) “For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, those of my own race, the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises. Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them is traced the human ancestry of Christ, who is God over all, forever praised! Amen.” That is why the good news was first to be preached in all of Judea, then to the uttermost parts of the world. As Gentile believers how are we included in these precious promises? (See Romans 11:15-23. Who is the root? Also, see Ephesians 1:4-6. Acts 3:25, Romans 8:17 and finally, see Galatians 3:29.
a) Romans 11:15—“For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, "Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in." Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either. Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.”
b) Ephesian 1:4-6—“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will..”
c) Acts 3:25—“And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, `Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.”
d) Romans 8:17—“Now if we are children, then we are heirs--heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”
e) Galatians 3:29—“ If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.”
4) What does Acts 10:34-35 tell us? “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right…” And, Romans 10:12-13? “For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile--the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

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