Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who is God, the second person of our triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – left his throne in heaven, came to the earth, and was born as a baby to a human mother, but conceived of the Holy Spirit and not of man. So he was not born with a sin nature like the rest of humankind. And although he was tempted to sin as we are, he did not sin. And while he lived on the earth he was fully human and fully God (God incarnate, in the flesh), God among us.
Eight days after his birth, he was circumcised, and at that time he was named Jesus, the name given to Mary by the angel before Jesus was conceived in the womb, which she was then to give to her child. And sometime later Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as was written in their law (see Luke 2:21-24).
This man named Simeon was waiting for “the consolation of Israel.” So what does that mean? Well, in context, “consolation” is referring to Jesus Christ who was the Savior of God’s people Israel who had been promised to them. But it wasn’t just Jesus as their Savior, but it was their salvation, which was also a light for the revelation to the Gentiles, so this was the gospel, too. And the word “consolation” means comfort, but also “to exhort” or “to encourage” and “a holy urging,” an intimate call to carry out God’s plan (biblehub).
So what does it mean that Jesus is our Savior? What did he come to save us from? He came to deliver us out of our bondage (slavery, addiction) to sin so that we will now serve him with our lives in walks of obedience to his commands in holy living. He came ultimately to die on a cross, taking upon himself the sins of the world so that, in his death, he became sin for us that we might be the righteousness of God, i.e. that we might die with him to sin and now live to him and to his righteousness in his power and wisdom.
But that meant not only that Jesus was crucified for us on that cross, but that he was also resurrected from the dead in victory over sin, Satan, death, and hell, on our behalf. And because he died for us and he rose from the dead in victory over sin, we are able, by God-persuaded faith in him to live free from the control of sin and in victory over sin and in walks of surrender and in obedience to our Lord and to his commands in holy living. This is not to say that we will be perfect in everything, but sin should not control us.
Jesus Christ not only came for the Jews but also for the Gentiles, to save us all from our sins so that we can serve him with our lives. But the physical nation of Israel has rejected Jesus as their Lord and Savior. And, although there are Jews who believe in Jesus Christ, they are few in number in relation to the Jews as a whole. And since Jesus is God, the second person of our triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – all who do not believe in Jesus don’t believe in God.
Therefore, those who were once part of Israel, Jews by birth, who rejected Jesus Christ as their Lord (the Christ), they were cut out of Israel. And the Gentiles who believed in Jesus Christ were grafted into Israel. So biblical Israel is now Jew and Gentile by God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ. All who deny Jesus as the Christ are antichrist and they are now included among the rest of the people of the world who do not honor Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives. They are not part of the Israel of God, but they are of the world.
[Genesis 17:7-9; Genesis 18:19; John 8:18-19,38-47; Romans 2:28-29; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 9:4-8,25-28; Romans 11:1-36; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 3:6; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-16; Hebrews 8:6-13;1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:22; Jude 1:5; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9]
So, whether you are Jew or Gentile by physical birth, you must believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord to be included in the Israel of God. You must deny self, die to sin (not just once, but daily), and follow Jesus Christ in walks of surrender and in obedience to his commands. For this was the reason that he came to the earth, to deliver us out from under our slavery to sin so that we will now serve the Lord Jesus (God) with our lives in holy living. For if sin is your practice, and not obedience, you will not have eternal life with God.
[Matt 7:13-14,21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 10:27-30; Ac 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10]
O Holy Night
By Placide Cappeau (1847)
Translation By John S Dwight, (1813-1893)
Tune: Cantique De Noel
O holy night! the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope- the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we;
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
Caution: This link may contain ads
Eight days after his birth, he was circumcised, and at that time he was named Jesus, the name given to Mary by the angel before Jesus was conceived in the womb, which she was then to give to her child. And sometime later Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as was written in their law (see Luke 2:21-24).
“Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said,
“’Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace,
according to your word;
for my eyes have seen your salvation
that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
a light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and for glory to your people Israel.’
“And his father and his mother marveled at what was said about him. And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, ‘Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:25-35 ESV)
This man named Simeon was waiting for “the consolation of Israel.” So what does that mean? Well, in context, “consolation” is referring to Jesus Christ who was the Savior of God’s people Israel who had been promised to them. But it wasn’t just Jesus as their Savior, but it was their salvation, which was also a light for the revelation to the Gentiles, so this was the gospel, too. And the word “consolation” means comfort, but also “to exhort” or “to encourage” and “a holy urging,” an intimate call to carry out God’s plan (biblehub).
So what does it mean that Jesus is our Savior? What did he come to save us from? He came to deliver us out of our bondage (slavery, addiction) to sin so that we will now serve him with our lives in walks of obedience to his commands in holy living. He came ultimately to die on a cross, taking upon himself the sins of the world so that, in his death, he became sin for us that we might be the righteousness of God, i.e. that we might die with him to sin and now live to him and to his righteousness in his power and wisdom.
But that meant not only that Jesus was crucified for us on that cross, but that he was also resurrected from the dead in victory over sin, Satan, death, and hell, on our behalf. And because he died for us and he rose from the dead in victory over sin, we are able, by God-persuaded faith in him to live free from the control of sin and in victory over sin and in walks of surrender and in obedience to our Lord and to his commands in holy living. This is not to say that we will be perfect in everything, but sin should not control us.
Jesus Christ not only came for the Jews but also for the Gentiles, to save us all from our sins so that we can serve him with our lives. But the physical nation of Israel has rejected Jesus as their Lord and Savior. And, although there are Jews who believe in Jesus Christ, they are few in number in relation to the Jews as a whole. And since Jesus is God, the second person of our triune God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – all who do not believe in Jesus don’t believe in God.
Therefore, those who were once part of Israel, Jews by birth, who rejected Jesus Christ as their Lord (the Christ), they were cut out of Israel. And the Gentiles who believed in Jesus Christ were grafted into Israel. So biblical Israel is now Jew and Gentile by God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ. All who deny Jesus as the Christ are antichrist and they are now included among the rest of the people of the world who do not honor Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives. They are not part of the Israel of God, but they are of the world.
[Genesis 17:7-9; Genesis 18:19; John 8:18-19,38-47; Romans 2:28-29; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 9:4-8,25-28; Romans 11:1-36; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 3:16,26-29; Galatians 4:22-31; Ephesians 2:11-22; Ephesians 3:6; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-16; Hebrews 8:6-13;1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:22; Jude 1:5; Revelation 2:9; Revelation 3:9]
So, whether you are Jew or Gentile by physical birth, you must believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord to be included in the Israel of God. You must deny self, die to sin (not just once, but daily), and follow Jesus Christ in walks of surrender and in obedience to his commands. For this was the reason that he came to the earth, to deliver us out from under our slavery to sin so that we will now serve the Lord Jesus (God) with our lives in holy living. For if sin is your practice, and not obedience, you will not have eternal life with God.
[Matt 7:13-14,21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 10:27-30; Ac 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10]
O Holy Night
By Placide Cappeau (1847)
Translation By John S Dwight, (1813-1893)
Tune: Cantique De Noel
O holy night! the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope- the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn!
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we;
Let all within us praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! O praise His name forever!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow’r and glory evermore proclaim!
Caution: This link may contain ads
