Jesus in the Old Testament: Reconciled through Abraham's Seed

I have written previously about God's covenant with Abraham and about how the blessings of this covenant would be for all people. In Genesis 17 we read the record of God speaking to Abraham and explaining to him the beginning details of how this covenant would be fulfilled. 

Genesis 17:19; Then God said, "Yes, but your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him."

Paul explains for all in Romans 9 how this covenant with Abraham affects us today, whether we are of the Jewish line coming from Abraham or not.

Romans 9:7-9; It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned. In other words, it is not the children by physical descent who are God’s children, but it is the children of the promise who are regarded as Abraham’s offspring. For this was how the promise was stated: “At the appointed time I will return, and Sarah will have a son.

We are reconciled to God through this covenant - not because we come from Abraham's blood line but because Jesus came from Abraham's blood line. And through the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus, we are reconciled. 

Jesus in the Old Testament: Melchizedek Foreshadowing Jesus

This past week I wrote two blogs related to Melchizedek and his foreshadowing of Jesus. First, Melchizedek foreshadowed Jesus as a priest. Second, Melchizedek foreshadowed Jesus as a King. This is one of the interesting facts about Melchizedek that we also find true of Jesus - both were priests and kings. 

Yet, Genesis 14 points to another point where the priest and king Melchizedek foreshadowed Jesus, the last supper and the celebration with bread and wine.Genesis 14:18; Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High.

We read in Matthew 26 of Jesus celebrating in the same manner with His closest friends and disciples. Matthew 26:26-28; While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus in the Old Testament: Eternal King

A few days ago I wrote about the connection Jesus had with the Priest named Melchizedek. Not only was Melchizedek a Priest, he was also a King. Genesis 14:18; Melchizedek king of Salem [later called Jerusalem] brought out bread and wine [for their nourishment]; he was the priest of God Most High. In the New Testament, Hebrews 7:1-2 reminds us of this encounter; This Melchizedek was king of Salem and priest of God Most High. He met Abraham returning from the defeat of the kings and blessed him, Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. First, the name Melchizedek means “king of righteousness”; then also, “king of Salem” means “king of peace.”

Hebrews 7:3 completes the picture - revealing Jesus; Without father or mother, without genealogy, without beginning of days or end of life, resembling the Son of God, he remains a priest forever.

Jesus remains our Priest forever. Likewise, He reigns as our King eternally. 

Jesus in the Old Testament: Priest After Melchizedek

In Genesis 14 we read the account of Abram defeating four very powerful Kings and their armies. Genesis 14:15 states that "during the night Abram divided his men to attack them and he routed them". Following this victory Abram was served bread and wine in the desert.

Genesis 14:18-20; Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth. And praise be to God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.” Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

This King Melchizedek was the king of Salem (which means "peace") - therefore we could state that Melchizedek was the "king of peace" (Jesus is called the "Prince of peace" in Isaiah 9:6). And, as Abram celebrates his victory in the desert with King Melchizedek he also gives him a tenth  of all he owns - Abram pays him a tithe of his wealth. What we see in Genesis 14 is a glimpse of Jesus as king Melchizedek meets with Abram - God's blessed chosen. 

Hebrews 6:16-20; People swear by someone greater than themselves, and the oath confirms what is said and puts an end to all argument. Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus In The New Testament: Blessed Through Abram's Seed

When Abram was 75 years old God appeared to him and established a covenant with him as recorded in Genesis 12;  “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you,  and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Then, in verse 7, we read of another promise that God established with Abraham; The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your seed I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.

The Apostle Paul brings us back to the Abrianic covenant and to the promise made to the seed of Abram in Galatians 3:16; The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ.

Jesus Christ is our blessing. Because we bear the name of Jesus we are worthy and we are blessed. Through Jesus Christ all people on earth have been blessed and are being blessed. It is all because of Jesus.

Jesus In The Old Testament: The Seed of Abraham

In Genesis 12:2-3 we read the words of the covenant that God made with Abraham - known as the Abrianic Covenant. These are God's words of encouragement, promise, and blessing given to Abraham; “I will make you into a great nation,and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you,  and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

From this covenant - and these verses - we read that through Abraham's seed - his offspring - all nations on the earth will be blessed.

In Acts 3:25-26 Peter speaks these words to the Israelite people; "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."

This servant of God's is Jesus Christ, God's Son. Jesus was sent first to the Israelite people - to the Jews - because of God's covenant given to Abraham some 2,100 years before the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem.  You can read the genealogy from Abraham to Jesus in Matthew 1. 

Worship The Lord This Morning

We have quite a bit of snow on the ground at our home this morning, many of the roads are covered with a thin sheet of ice, the temperatures are in the low 20's this morning, and many folks are asking whether we will still meet for worship today.

The answer is yes. Yes, we will still meet at the church for worship. Yes, although there is snow and ice on the ground, we will still worship The God that created the snow and the ice. Yes, we will still worship, because God is still worthy to be worshiped. I understand the families and individuals that are unable to - or fearful to - get out in the cold weather. I sympathize with the elderly who risk a fall or an accident on the slick surface. And I sympathize with the individuals who risk getting ill in the frigid temperatures. Yet God still deserves and still desires our worship.

So - wherever you are and whatever your situation - worship The Lord this morning. Worship Him through your prayer - words spoken to Him this morning. Worship Him through your song - played, sung, spoken, or otherwise. Worship Him through your reading - open His Word for your life today. Worship Him through your commitment - stating your promise to serve Him. Worship Him through your life - loving Him by serving others in His name.

This morning, as we gather at our church we will open to Isaiah 61 to discuss the joy of Christmas.

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor

Jesus came down from Heavenly Glory to be born in a manger. Jesus lived a life of poverty to serve the weak and the weary. Jesus died a death of cruelty to save us from the curse of sin. Jesus' life on earth brings us joy, peace, love, salvation, and hope.

This morning, whether you gather at your home church or gather in your own home, worship the Lord and focus on what He came to bring to you. Luke 2 gives us the message of the great joy that Jesus brought to earth the night that He was born. Notice that this was a message of GREAT JOY that was for ALL PEOPLE, but don't miss that this GREAT JOY has come TO YOU.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord."

Jesus In The Old Testament: The Son of Shem

Shortly after God had sent a flood to cover the entire earth. Shortly after Noah and his sons walked off of the ark. Shortly after God had made a covenant with Noah and his family we read in Genesis 9:18-24; The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham and Japheth. (Ham was the father of Canaan.) These were the three sons of Noah, and from them came the people who were scattered over the whole earth. Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked. When Noah awoke from his wine and found out what his youngest son had done to him, he said, “Cursed be Canaan! The lowest of slaves will he be to his brothers.” 

Following this account we have another phrase spoken by Noah, which may be quickly passed over. Yet it is in this short statement from Noah that we begin to see the family line of Jesus presented in Genesis 9:26-27; [Noah] also said, Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem! May Canaan be the slave of Shem. May God extend Japheth’s territory; may Japheth live in the tents of Shem, and may Canaan be the slave of Japheth.

Blessings are spoken on the line of Ham and on Ham's son, Shem. "Praise be to the Lord, the God of Shem" - not only will God bless Shem and be the "God of Shem". The God of Shem will become the son of Shem. We read this in Luke 3:36.

The line of Jesus is listed in its entirety in Luke 3:27-37; Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry. He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph,the son of Heli, the son of Matthat,the son of Levi, the son of Melki, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph,  the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli,the son of Naggai, the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein,the son of Josek, the son of Joda, the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa,the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel,the son of Neri, the son of Melki, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam,the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer,the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph,the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, the son of Melea, the son of Menna,the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon,the son of Amminadab, the son of Ram the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, the son of Jacob the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, the son of Serug, the son of Reu  the son of Peleg, the son of Eber,the son of Shelah, the son of Cainan the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch,the son of Jared, the son of Mahalalel, the son of Kenan, the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

All I Want For Christmas Is Jesus

This past Sunday we began new series. It was unable to be recorded. Below are some of the sermon notes from the first sermon in this exciting series.

I often find it odd that We spend a season celebrating what we are most thankful for and then we immediately follow it with a season concentrating on what else we want - what else we still need.

“What do you want for Christmas?” This is, perhaps, the most frequently asked question at Christmastime.

Personally, I never have a good answer for this question, ether because I don’t know what I want or because I don’t want to ask someone for it. And it is frustrating to hear “I don’t know”

“What do you want for Christmas?” My mother-in-law asked me this question, to which I responded “I don’t know”.

“What do you want for Christmas?” Children ask their parents this question. To this day when we ask mom she will say “to have all of my family to be healthy and to be together”. This answer is even more frustrating than “I don’t know” because I can't provide this for my mom.

But it is sometimes that things that we want – and need – the most that we don’t ask for, we won’t ask for, we don’t even talk about them. Most of us have a need that we rarely recognize. Most of us have a need that we seldom express - a need we would never state on our Christmas list - even though it’s all that we really want and all that we really desire

What do you want for Christmas? What do you really need? Joy?  Peace?  Love? Hope?

Over the next month we will take part in a series together; "All I Want For Christmas Is…" Throughout this series we will continue to ask the question: "What do you want for Christmas?” And we will continue to come back to Isaiah 61 - the mission statement of Jesus - the purpose of why He came to earth.

Isaiah 61:1-3a: The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.

All I want for Christmas is Jesus.

·       Jesus is our Joy

o   Good news for the poor and the afflicted

·       Jesus is our Peace

o   Healing for the brokenhearted and troubled

·       Jesus is our Love and our Salvation

o   Freedom for the captives and a pardon for all prisoners

·       Jesus is our Hope

o   The time of the Lord’s favor has come for us

Where all other gifts fall short, Jesus fulfills. This year He can bring you joy, peace, love, and peace

It’s time that we take our focus off of the hurry, the greed, the chaos, and the rush of Christmas – that’s not Christmas anyway! It’s time we stop asking and wishing for gifts that break down, spoil, rust, and disappoint us. It’s time we focus on the true gift of Christmas – Jesus Christ. Who reigns eternally and fulfills our every desire and need.

All I want for Christmas is Jesus. Jesus is our peace. Jesus is our love. Jesus is our salvation. Jesus is our hope. Now and for all of eternity

This Christmas let us look for opportunities to speak Jesus into lives - to speak Jesus into our own life and to speak Jesus into the lives of others.

Jesus In The Old Testament: Bodily Ascension

Genesis 5:24 states that "Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away."

This short verse - hidden in the genealogy leading us from Adam to Noah - points to the bodily ascension to heaven of Enoch. Jesus would participate in this same form of bodily ascension into heaven more than 4,200 years later.

Mark 16:19 records Jesus' ascension into heaven "After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God."

The Traditional Elf On A Shelf

Last year our family began participating in this "Elf on the Shelf" craze. The elf was delivered to our home and our children decided to name her Elle. Although the elf came to keep an eye on the children it turned out to be a fun activity for my wife and I as well. Every night (and sometimes throughout the day) the elf moves around the house and the kids find her in crazy places participating in crazy activities. Once the elf built a zip-line across our living room, another time she decided to watch a movie, and the morning the kids found her in a pile of M&M's making "snow angels". We are having fun with our family's elf and the kids are enjoying the time she spends at our house.

However, it has come to my attention that some families have elves that get into mischief and are causing strive, arguments, and heartache. Now, to each his own so perhaps I should stay out of their family business. Yet it occurs to me that when an inanimate object is causing messes in your home, when a toy is ruining good food and clothing, when a doll is causing you to repaint portions of your home, perhaps it is too much. When arguments are starting over your breakfast table and carrying on for days because your elf on the shelf can't behave and when the children - who are suppose to enjoy having the elf around - watch as their parents fight about the elf, it has gone too far.

I write all this (based on information obtained through my facebook friends and their family members) to simply say, maybe your family traditions are getting carried away and perhaps these traditions are getting in the way of your celebration. This does not just pertain to elves. Think through some of your Christmas traditions - even the practice of buying and giving of gifts. Is anything keeping you from truly celebrating what matters most this Christmas? Even if it is a tradition that has been a part of your family for generations - if it is keeping you from fully celebrating - get rid of it!

Jesus In The Old Testament: He Will Crush Satan's Head

Genesis 3:15; And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring (seed) and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel. 

These words from God - spoken to Satan in the garden of Eden - state that Jesus would crush Satan's head, Satan's power, Satan's curse, and Satan's work. These words from God - spoken during the first days of creation, moments after man first sinned against God - point to the cross. These words tell us that God would send a person - Jesus - to come and redeem us and to save from the sin of mankind. These words tell us that Jesus would come and break every bond of Satan.

Hebrews 2:14; Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil.

1 John 3:8; The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.

Jesus In The Old Testament: The Seed

Genesis 3:15; And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring (seed) and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.

These words from God - spoken to Satan in the garden of Eden - state that Jesus would come from the seed - or offspring - of Eve (woman). These words from God - spoken during the first days of creation, moments after man first sinned against God - point to the virgin birth. These words tell us that God would send a person - Jesus - to come and redeem us and to save from the sin of mankind. These words tell us that Jesus would be born of a virgin (without sin) through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 1:18-20; This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.

Luke 1:35; The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.