Messages

Just as Abraham in Genesis 22 was commanded to deliver up his own son whom he loved, The Lord did the same with Jesus for sinners.

We should exult in The Lord, giving thanks and praise as we remember his wondrous works in his faithfulness, power, and mercy towards us his chosen people.

From the beginning Jesus the son was towards and with his Father in perfect love and fellowship and friendship. He was the son of God at the declaration of his conception, as a child, as the anointed Christ, during his ministry, at the last supper, in the garden of Gethsemane, at his death on the cross, during his resurrection time on earth, and at the ascension. God the father has given us his very dearest possession and the greatest gift in eternity, his own son.

The God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ gave his beloved son to become and condemn sin, and considering the magnitude of this sacrifice, Paul rhetorically argues that he will freely give us all things! How great is our union with the triune God who has loved us since before creation that all things are ours in Christ!

How do we as Christians view all the worldly things at Christmas time, and resist the temptation to be apathetic to the scriptural basis for Christmas?

The rhetorical questions Paul asks speak loudly of the electing gospel articulated in verses 29-30. A major point Paul is driving home is this: "Our life in Christ must be lived from a platform of confidence in God and not from a platform of doubt in ourselves."

Christians must have and should cultivate the fear of God, and there are qualities that will inhibit the fear of The Lord. Pride, unbelief, and negligence of the word of God or hardening one's heart will separate us from The Lord, but cultivating humility, faith, and attentiveness to the word of God will enable us to fear God and avoid provoking The Lord to anger as the Israelites did in the wilderness.

Isaiah's thankless ministry is undoubtedly motivated by this vision of his glorious God and king on the throne with angels and smoke and his robe filling the temple. This vision pictures an exalted, all powerful, and glorious king, producing personal, specific confession, and personal forgiveness for Isaiah's sin. We too as Christians have seen the living a God on his throne, but what are we doing as servants of this gracious and holy king whom we have seen and has forgiven us of our sin?

A vision of God, truly seeing and apprehending him as he is by faith, leads to the fear of God, and the only and necessary response is allegiance, worship, and service of this great God. The fear of The Lord is often accompanied by and produces humility and confession.

A vision of God, truly seeing and apprehending him as he is by faith, leads to the fear of God, and the only and necessary response is allegiance, worship, and service of this great God. The fear of The Lord is often accompanied by and produces joy and gladness, trust and faith, and hope.