Missions Paul

“After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi^[a] from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born. “In Bethlehem in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appeared. He sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the child. As soon as you find him, report to me, so that I too may go and worship him.” After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” (Matthew 2 v 1-12)

Almost 50 years ago a four-year (1972-75) investigation into the Mahd adh Dhahab (Cradle of Gold) mine, located midway between Mecca and Madina in Saudi Arabia, led scientists to believe it was the principle mine for King Solomon’s gold and known as the mysterious place of Ophir (1 Kings 9:28).

Magi carried gold, frankincense and myrrh with them to Jerusalem.

In AD160, Justin Martyr (a Palestinian Christian writer) wrote that the wise men hailed from Arabia. Confirming what Martyr wrote, in what is simply a brilliant book, Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes, Kenneth E. Bailey writes, “In the 1920s a British scholar, E.F.F. Bishop, visited a Bedouin tribe in Jordan. This Muslim tribe bore the Arabic name al-Kokabani. The word kokab means “planet” and al-Kaokabani means “Those who study/follow the planets.” Bishop asked the elders of the tribe why they called themselves by such a name. They replied that it was because their ancestors followed the planets and travelled west to Palestine to show honour to the great prophet Jesus when he was born.

It might seem more than unexpected that ancestors of Muslims are bowing down to worship the Christ-child but let us be reminded that there is a day coming when Christ will return and “that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil 2:10-11) Christian, Jew, Muslim, will bow the knee.

The gospel writers were more than familiar with this prophecy:

“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.
See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn” (Isaiah 60:1-3)

Who is this ‘you and your’? Is this Jerusalem, the city of God?

^“Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy; the wealth on the seas will be brought to you, to you the riches of the nations will come. Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.” (Isaiah 60: 5-6)

Midian and Ephah are tribal lands in northern Arabia, Sheba is in southern Arabia and where the Queen of Sheba came to Solomon with her gold.

^“All Kedar’s flocks will be gathered to you, the rams of Nebaioth will serve you; they will be accepted as offerings on my altar, and I will adorn my glorious temple” (Isaiah 60:7)

Shepherds are now involved. Why? Why are people coming from far away and very near? Who will receive these people?

“Foreigners will rebuild your walls, and their kings will serve you. Though in anger I struck you, in favour I will show you compassion. Your gates will always stand open, they will never be shut, day or night, so that people may bring you the wealth of the nations—their kings led in triumphal procession.” (Isaiah 60:10-11)

Isaiah is thinking about Jerusalem and the wonderful things that would happen in the future. Yet by the time of the birth of Christ they had not happened. These things had never taken place in Jerusalem. There was no great shining light in the city. Nor did wealthy Arabs come with gold and frankincense. Jerusalem’s gates were never open during the day and night because of security.

So why did Luke tell the shepherds story and Matthew the Magi story?

It is because they saw Isaiah’s prophecy, not speaking of Jerusalem, but the Christ-child.

Around Christ there was a great light and the glory of the Lord came. Shepherds visited the Christ-child.

Arab wise men came on camels bringing gold and frankincense (and myrrh).

The great hopes for Jerusalem were transferred to the Christ-child.

Hopes and expectations are now fulfilled in Jesus.

But it also has a future hope.

It is not the earthly Jerusalem that is of major significance, but the heavenly one that will come down as a gift from God when Christ returns.

The Magi believed in Christ when they had never seen him and probably not read of any of his prophecies. They believed in him when Herod was opposing and deceiving them. They believed in him when the religious leaders were unbelieving. They believed in him when they saw him as a little child and worshipped him as a king. This was the crowning point in their simple faith. No miracles. No healings to convince them. No teaching to persuade them. They didn’t need any of that.

^“On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.” (Matthew 2 v 11-12)

They knew what they had to do. They had brought gifts. They had brought gold for a king. This king would not come by force but with love. He would rule over men’s hearts not from a throne but a cross of wood. They had brought frankincense for a priest. This priest would not use the incense in the Temple to connect man with God. He would open the way to the presence of God not by works or any sacrificial Temple offering of man but by His own sacrifice and Him alone. They had brought myrrh for the Saviour, the one who would die for His people. This Saviour became the perfect sacrifice so that we could at last know forgiveness and be at peace with God. They brought these gifts and most probably they didn’t know the meaning that we over the centuries have given these gifts. They just brought gifts. Expensive ones. For them it seemed the right thing to do. Little did they realise that both Joseph and Mary would need these gifts to sustain them when they became refugees.

They came to the house. Mary and Joseph had moved from the manger scene. Their baby was now a child. This was 1-2 years after the birth. But nativities would last a very long time if the period of time was considered!

They entered in and saw the child. That’s the focal point. For months God had been using a ‘star’ to pull them from their homeland to the feet of Jesus so they could see a miracle.

Their eyes met the eyes of Jesus. The gifts took second place. There was only one thing that they could do and that was to fall down and worship. What we can bring to Jesus is not as important as our hearts of worship.

In 1872, Christina Rosetti, the sister of the artist Dante (and who she posed for in many of his paintings) wrote a poem that has global fame. She had herself a difficult life. A broken engagement and further turning down two offers of marriage around the time of this poem she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease. Today an overactive thyroid is treatable but in the 19^th century it was even more debilitating. Her poem has these words:

What can I give Him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part; Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.

It wouldn’t be long after this poem was written that she would develop cancer and die in London in 1894. Her life ended with nothing much that she could give. But He had her heart and that was the most precious gift she could give. It still is.

“There was also a prophet, Anna, the daughter of Penuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.” (Luke 2 v 36-38)

Luke never wastes a character, they are included for a reason. So to add to the wonderful occasion of Jesus being presented in the Temple and Simeon taking him in his arms accompanied with the sacrifice of birds that Mary and Joseph had brought to God, here comes Anna.

Luke tells us that she came from the tribe of Asher.

Asher had been one of the 8 northern tribes of Israel, the other 2 were in the southern kingdom where Jerusalem was, Judah and Benjamin.

In the 8^th century the Assyrians conquered the northern kingdom of Israel and then no one knows for sure what happened next to these tribes. But we do know that some made it back to Israel because Anna has traced her lineage.

Luke has successfully shown us that Simeon was a priest in the temple and therefore from the tribe of Levi who though had no land given to them were associated mainly with Jerusalem in the south.

So can you see this picture as Luke describes it?

Here is baby Jesus in the middle of someone from the southern kingdom and someone from the northern kingdom. United at last because of Jesus.

Anna’s ancestry had stories of division and being overcome by the enemy.

Anna’s personal past also contained regret and sorrow over losing her husband and maybe not having children.

But where do we see Anna? And what is she doing?

She is serving continually in the Temple with worship, fasting and prayer focusing on the hope of a coming Redeemer.

That’s it.

Our past, whatever it is, division, defeat, guilt, sorrow does not have to have the last word. We can move forward with the hope found in Jesus our redeemer!

“Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law required, Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” The child’s father and mother marvelled at what was said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: “This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” (Luke 2 v 25-35)

He is righteous, he’s a good man to have around, you can count on him, dependable, walked with God, he chose wisely.

He is devout, he’s a devoted to God kind of man, someone who served God, who gave his life to Him and the work of God.

He embraced the suffering of Israel and their desperate need for a Messiah to come and strengthen the people, ‘comfort my people’ would have been his prayer.

Simeon, a good man. What else?

Oh yes!! The Holy Spirit was on him! Such beautiful words. It is all that matters. The Holy Spirit had revealed to him a promise of seeing the Messiah. He was moved by the Spirit.

Pause right there for the 3 important prayers.

Holy Spirit come on me.

Holy Spirit speak to me.

Holy Spirit lead me.

And then he took Jesus in his arms.

Have you held Him in your arms?

Are you a carrier? He will change the way you live, speak, think and act. You will walk differently, live differently, there will be an incredible change in your life as you carry Him.

Then he prays to Sovereign Lord, to God. He now fully realises God’s plan. Salvation through Jesus was not only for the Jews. Jesus was certainly for the comfort of Israel but he was far more than this. This salvation was spilling over from Israel to the whole world, to all peoples of all nations. Simeon was right. Jesus does cause offence. He will cause the falling and rising of many. And Mary will be hurt at the foot of the cross.  

And there in the Temple Luke has brought the whole Godhead together in a very ordinary yet powerful moving picture of an old man and the Trinity.

He is showing the end of a chapter and the start of a new one.

The Sovereign God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit heralding the new season. He still does.

“On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived. When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, ‘Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord’), and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: ‘a pair of doves or two young pigeons’.” Luke 2 v 21-24

The traditional Church have a celebration on January 1stcalled, the Feast of the Circumcision. It is a reminder of how Mary and Joseph from the beginning were determined to bring Jesus up in the way of Jehovah. They were not disobedient to the Law of Moses which clearly stated that the boy needed to be circumcised on the 8th day after his birth (Lev 12:3). He was a child of the covenant of Abraham whose blessing was for the nations. They were not disobedient either to the angel who had instructed Mary to name her son Jesus (1:31). Jesus was also for the nations, for all people, the Saviour, Christ the Lord. 

Jesus, name above all names, God incarnate, Saviour to the world … has the foreskin of his penis cut. How can this be in the same verse? How can the holy and the perfect be mentioned in such earthy practices? We are thankful that it is for it shows the humanity of Jesus.

But I want to know about the man who made the cut. Who took the blade and brought the first shedding of the blood of Jesus? In ancient times it would be the father but not by the time of Joseph, he would have taken his son with Mary to a special rabbi, to a Mohel, they still operate today. They would have paid this man to perform this important ceremony.

Mohel’s never make it into the nativity plays even though this man appeared well before the gold, frankincense and myrrh did. But who was he? Did he ever meet the man Jesus? Was he there at the shedding of the blood of Jesus on the cross?

We have to assume the following:

When Mohel cut Jesus, it was one of hundreds maybe thousands that he had done. Jesus was just one of many.

Mohel didn’t see any connection in this procedure and the baby’s death.

Mohel had no idea Jesus was special, that He was the Messiah.

As blood poured from the genital organ of Jesus and as he gave instructions to Mary how to keep it clean so that it would heal quickly and well, Mohel was blind to the sacredness of that moment.

We would not judge Mohel for his blindness. 

Mary and Joseph were not blind to the sacred? 

But there’s more.

After the birth of a child the mother became unclean according to the Jewish custom and couldn’t be permitted to worship at the Temple or even be seen in public.

If the child was a boy this would last for 40 days and for a girl it would be 80 days.

After this time the parents would have to purchase the sacrificial lamb or birds in order to be clean again. The birds were for the poor people’s offering, which Joseph and Mary at that time were.

Can you imagine what was going on in the minds of these parents knowing they could not afford the lamb? That they had to bring a poor man’s sacrifice?

Mary had given birth to the Son of God, the Christ and he deserved a better offering than they could bring.

Joseph and Mary would never have bought a pair of cheap birds for the sacrifice if they could have afforded more. 

However, I see a different picture. I see this couple walking to the temple carrying the Lamb of God in their arms. Their lamb was more superior to all the other lambs. 

You see, if you are carrying His presence then you might not have what others have, but you certainly have all that is needed.

Mary and Joseph were not blind to the sacred for they knew they were carrying the most sacred into the temple that day. And that is a beautiful picture.

“Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favour rests.” When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.” (Luke 2 v 13-20)

The Amplified says ‘they went with haste’ and the Message ‘they left, running’. There are times when going slow and taking your time is not an option.

The shepherds were never commanded to go, they were given the opportunity. What if they had put off till tomorrow what they could do today?

The angel of the Lord had suddenly reorganised their priorities. The sheep were their priority and it still was but now they knew what was better.

Some people would have said ‘right let’s take all the sheep with us to Bethlehem, because we have got to keep working!’

What do you need to stop doing so that you can become more effective? What do you have to delegate?

The shepherds searched for Jesus. And in the Amplifies it says ‘by searching found’ v16.

Are you still a pilgrim? Do you still pant like a deer for the water?

What could stop you? It could be distraction, discouragement and disappointment.

Don’t think they ran into Bethlehem with an A-Z map and all they had to do was find Manger Street.

May be they tried every cowshed in Bethlehem before they found the one with a baby in it, for that is the meaning of the word ‘search’.

What has tried to stop you this week?

What is it going to take for you to seek God until you find Him?

v17 “When they had seen him …” The Message says “Seeing was believing”

There was more pomp and circumstance in the fields of the hill outside Bethlehem than on the Saviour Christ the Lord in the manger.

There was no gold, frankincense and myrrh. That would not happen till later.

There was no message. There was no music.

There were signs of poverty.

The baby was just a baby. He didn’t wink or give the thumbs up sign.

But Zechariah says we should not despise the day of small things.

God’s work is done “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit”.

A frightening thought this might be, but you and I may have been one of those who went and said “That’s not God.” We may have been a tad disappointed.

Can you believe that what you see in your church are the hallmarks of God?

Maybe in your church there isn’t a lot of powerful demonstrations of the heavenlies as on that Bethlehem hillside, maybe it is just ‘normal’ and maybe your faith in God is just normal. Perhaps you see yourself as a plodder!

But don’t turn away from what you describe as normal because God could well be there, hidden and humble, meek and mild but ready …!

“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 of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2 v 8-12)

These shepherds did not know (until they were told) how near they were to the place God had for them.

There are people waking today saying, “I was just so close. I was nearly there, but I missed out!” There can be no greater frustration, no greater regret than being so close, so near to all God has for you and knowing it.

What did it take for these shepherds to move from nearby to a place where they would be envied for generations?

More importantly what is it going to take for us to get to where we could be in God?

What good is nearby?

Nearby is for commentators, for people who know the theory, who can talk a good talk, but nearby is not ‘there’.

Nearby can be caring for sacrificial animals which all point to a coming Messiah and yet isn’t close enough to be with the Lamb who had been born.

What good is nearby?

What good is it for a Church to be doing well? What does ‘doing well’ mean? Is it numbers? Finances? Ministries? Buildings filled at events? It is possible to ‘do well’ and not have seen Christ the Lord.

These are never arrival points. These are signs of the Spirit, we are nearby, but there is still some distance between us and the presence of Christ the Lord.

Let’s make nearby our enemy. Nearby is not nearly enough.

Mary laid him in a manger.

Then we come back to Joseph, “And he gave him the name Jesus.” (Matthew 1 v 25)

Saviour. Why? Because he will save his people from their sins.

Every time you use the name Jesus either in prayer or song you are calling on the one who saves you from sin.

It was the most common name at the time, there were many with that name. Their parents all hoping their son would be the true Messiah perhaps.

It is incredible that God would choose such an ordinary name or a name that had been used by the many.

The truth was no one could save the people from Roman oppression.
No one could save the people from burdensome religious laws and duties.
Not one person could save.
Except Jesus. This Jesus. The Incarnated, virgin-born, Jesus.
It would be difficult perhaps to look at the Christ-child and see a Saviour. A baby does offer hope and a future but no one knows its true potential.
People still struggle to see the Saviour in this season.
How can this Jesus save me?
But just as in that first Christmas in order to see a Saviour one had to bow down and worship, in surrender and by faith to say, “I need a Saviour, I believe you are the Saviour, you are my Saviour” nothing has changed. We still need to come that way.
The Saviour is here. And we bow down.

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.” (Luke 2 v 6-7)

Look at what you have. See what can be created from what is in front of you. Use imagination. The manger was a feed box for domesticated animals.

Many are leaving their dreams out in the cold to die because they lack initiative. They see a manger they don’t see a cradle.

Nothing is too unclean or worthless. Jesus is ready to be placed into your shame.

“Grace makes beauty out of ugly things. Grace finds beauty in everything. Grace finds goodness in everything” (U2)

Initiative needs grace.

In our world of hatred, pain and division, the answer is initiative and that means grace.

To see God in a fallen yet created world.

To see God in a manger.

To see God on a cross.

These are the starting points of finding and stepping into grace.

Whatever happens today from the moment you rise it is all because of His grace to look upon you, bless you, love you, favour you and He does that through every single thing around you. You may be the manger, imperfect in many ways. But the Spirit of Christ is placed within you.

The more you understand that every part of your physical world is both the place where God is revealing who He is and where He also hides to be searched for, then you will begin to understand the initiative of God to move with grace to you.

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register. 4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. (Luke 2 v 1-5)

At a time when world leaders were flexing their muscles, Jesus came.

At a time of Empires and World powers such as Syria, Jesus came.

At a time when people were being forced to comply to rules of control, Jesus came.

At a time of mass movements of people, Jesus came.

At a time of personal, hidden and difficult life-stories, Jesus came and was the centre of one of them.

It could have been 2023. It could still be!

The world is noisy and God quietly moves in.

The world is distracted and God slips in unnoticed.

There is nothing that can stop Him.

No walls that He can’t break down or mountains He can’t take down.

To come to us.

Unto us a child is born.

⁶⁷ His father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

⁶⁸ “Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has come to his people and redeemed them.
⁶⁹ He has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David
⁷⁰ (as he said through his holy prophets of long ago),
⁷¹ salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us—
⁷² to show mercy to our ancestors and to remember his holy covenant,
⁷³     the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
⁷⁴ to rescue us from the hand of our enemies, and to enable us to serve him without fear
⁷⁵     in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.

⁷⁶ And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
⁷⁷ to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,
⁷⁸ because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
⁷⁹ to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.”

⁸⁰ And the child grew and became strong in spirit and he lived in the wilderness until he appeared publicly to Israel. (Luke 1 v 67-80)

As with the Magnificat of Mary this outburst son of Zechariah is filled with beauty, wonder and truth.

Here is the centrepiece (underlined) as Zechariah turns his attention to his own son, John, in v76. He came second to Jesus in his song and Zechariah is clear on what his role would be in life.

The prominent One is Jesus.

John was an answer to prayer, he was a miracle child for sure, but he was not the prominent One.

It is the Lord.

The Bible tells us who He is. My prayer is that as you are reminded of these descriptions and titles of Him that your heart is stirred in worship and you are greatly encouraged.

__________________

He is Almighty One (Rev 1:8); Alpha and Omega (Rev. 22:13); Advocate (1 John 2:1); Author and Perfecter of Our Faith (Heb. 12:2) and Authority (Matt. 28:18).

Are you understanding? It is Jesus.

He is the Bread of Life (John 6:35) and the Bridegroom (Matt. 9:15)

He is the Chief Cornerstone (Ps. 118:22)

He is the Deliverer (1 Thess.1:10)

He is the Faithful and True (Rev.19:11)

He is the Good Shepherd (John 10:1) and the Great High Priest (Heb. 4:14)

Who is most important? It is Jesus.

He is the Head of the Church (Eph. 1:22) and the Holy Servant (Acts 4:29-30)

He is the I Am (John 8:58); Immanuel (Is. 7:14) and the Indescribable Gift (2 Cor. 9:15)

He is the Judge (Acts 10:42)

He is the King of Kings (Rev. 17:14)

Who is the most prominent one? It is Jesus.

He is the Lamb of God (John 1:29); Light of the World (John 8:12); Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev. 5:5); Lord of All (Phil. 2:9-11) and the Loved Son of God (Matt. 3:17)

He is the Mediator (1 Tim. 2:5); Messiah (John 1:41) and the Mighty One (Is. 60:16)

He is the One Who Sets Free (John 8:36) and Our Hope (1 Tim. 1:1)

He is Peace (Eph. 2:14) and Prophet (Mark 6:4)

He is the Redeemer (Job 19:25); Risen Lord (1 Cor. 15:3-4) and the Rock (1 Cor. 10:4).

He is the Sacrifice for Our Sins (1 John 4:10); Saviour (Luke 2:11); Son of Man (Luke 19:10); Son of the Most High (Luke 1:32) and the Supreme Creator over All (1 Cor. 1:16-17).

He is the Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25).

He is The Door (John 10:9); The Way (John 14:6); The Word  (John 1:1); The True Vine (John 15:1) and the Truth (John 8:32);

He is the Victorious One (Rev. 3:21)

Have you got it yet? It is Jesus.

He is the Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6)!!!

So the world doesn’t revolve around you nor does it revolve around your hero or bully. Jesus is the centre of it all.

When Jesus is Lord then you can survive any kind of wilderness (v80) that you may enter.