The Messiah's Secret - Baptism of Jesus

The Jewish people came to John to be baptised by him in the river Jordon. His message was in preparation for the coming Kingdom of God, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” His words must have disturbed the hearts of the people when he inferred that they sought repentance only to please their traditions. His words left them wondering what they should do to earn their righteousness.
John suggested that, “The person who had two coats to give one to the person who had not got any. To share their food with each other and the Tax Collectors he told them, “Collect no more than is appointed.” Luke 3: 10-14
John testified to the coming of the Messiah, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry, he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Matthew 3: 11

Nicodemus came to speak with Jesus
Nicodemus he was a Pharisee and a member of the ruling council in Jerusalem, we read that he came to speak with Jesus at night, taking care that he was not seen by anybody who knew him. He strikes me as a shrewd man who had decided to go and speak with Jesus in person.
Nicodemus started the conversation by acknowledging Jesus’ teaching and the signs he brought about, these could only have been accomplished by God working with him. Jesus and his disciples would have been glad to hear these words from Nicodemus; they would have probably put them at their ease.

However, Jesus knowing the thoughts and intentions of every person’s heart touched immediately on the subject of ‘Baptism.’ “Truly, truly, I say to you unless one is born anew he can not see the Kingdom of God.” “Unless one is born of water and Spirit, he can not enter the Kingdom of God.” John 3: 5.
But instead of talking to Nicodemus about John the Baptist’s water baptism, being set apart, cleansed for the forgiveness of sin, a continual process. Mark 1: 4,5. Jesus spoke of the baptism that he was going to give, the’ baptism of water and Spirit,’ which we understand Nicodemus had no knowledge about.

Jesus touched on the heart of the matter.
Nicodemus I am sure had heard John the Baptist’s message and Jesus’ message accompanied by the signs, but Nicodemus had not received their testimony.
“Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen; but you do not receive our testimony.” John 3: 11
This verse would indicate that Nicodemus had not received John’s baptism. Perhaps he still was sceptical as John’s baptism pointed to Jesus as being the Messiah and maybe that is why he came to speak with Jesus.
“Yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than John the Baptist. When they heard this all the people and the tax collectors justified God, having been baptised with the baptism of John; but the Pharisees and the lawyers had rejected the purposes of God for themselves, not having been baptised by him.” Luke 7: 30

Nicodemus helped Joseph of Arimathea.
After Jesus had died on the cross Joseph of Arimathea a secret disciple went and asked Pilate to take away the body of Jesus, Pilate gave him leave. Nicodemus identified by John as the one who came to Jesus by night helped Joseph take down Jesus from the cross and carry his dead body to Joseph’s tomb where they wrapped Jesus’ body in the spices that Nicodemus had brought to the tomb. Joseph and Nicodemus’ involvement must have reached the ears of other members of the ruling council. Nicodemus had openly made his association with Jesus at the time when his closest friends had abandoned him. John 19: 38-42

John the Baptist baptised Jesus

John the Baptist’s baptism was in preparing the way for the coming of the Messiah.
When Jesus came to John to be baptised by him, John perceived who Jesus was and said to him, “I need to be baptised by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.”
Matthew 3: 13 - 17

Jesus consecrated and anointed for the priesthood in order to fulfil all righteousness.
Jesus fulfilled the law in being consecrated and anointed for the priesthood at his baptism in the river Jordon. (Jesus fulfilled the requirement of the law in his life and ministry.)
Water was used as part of the consecration of priests.
“And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water.” Leviticus 8: 6
Consecration – the act of devotion to a sacred use.
Jesus started his ministry at about the age of thirty. Luke 3: 23
Unger’s Dictionary page 883
“The age for entering the priesthood is not mentioned, but it was probably from 25 years to 30 years.
Numbers 8: 24. 4: 3, 23, 30, 35, 47.
Jesus was not a descendant of Aaron; he was a descendant of King David. But the writer of Hebrews states that Jesus was a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.
“For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, and in connection with that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not according to a legal requirement concerning bodily descent but by an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him, “Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 6: 14-17.

Aaron was anointed with oil, the anointing oil symbolising the Holy Spirit.
“Moses poured some of the anointing oil on Aaron’s head, and anointed him, to consecrate him.” Leviticus 8: 12
God himself anointed Jesus consecrating him for the work he had called him to do.
When Jesus came up out of the water the heavens were opened and John the Baptist saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting upon Jesus; a voice from heaven was heard saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3: 17
Matthew when he wrote his gospel recognised Isaiah’s prophecy, the beloved Son of God who pleased his Father by healing all who came to him.
“And many followed him, and he healed them all, and ordered them not to make him known. This was to fulfil what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him, he will bring forth justice to the nations.” Matthew 12: 15 – 18. Isaiah 42:1.
Jesus was given the Holy Spirit without measure. He did not allow his disciples to make him known during his ministry. It was on the Day of Pentecost when they proclaimed for the first time that Jesus was the Messiah.
Jesus’ healing ministry attracted the attention of the Gentiles; the Roman centurion came to Jesus and asked if he would to heal his servant. The Syrophoenician lady she came to Jesus for her daughter’s healing.

The believer’s baptism in the Old Testament
Jug of water with enough gasses for the people present.
Hand out the glasses and then proceed to fill each glass with water from the jug until the water runs out. When the water runs out, indicate to those who are waiting and expecting to receive some water that there is no more.

During the Israelites wilderness journey we see a glimpse of Jesus’ baptism. After crossing the Red Sea 600,000 Israelites began their journey towards the Promised Land, the land of Canaan. After three days travelling through the wilderness of Shur they ran out of water. When they came to Marah, they found to their dismay, that the water there was bitter and undrinkable. Due to this they murmured against Moses. He cried out to God for his help. God told Moses to throw a tree into the water and the water became sweet and drinkable. Exodus 15: 22 – 25

Jesus’ baptism of repentance
The bitter water of sin.
The tree, the cross where sin was dealt with by Jesus.
The sweet water of sins forgiven.

Born of water
Jesus commanded his disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Matthew 28: 19
When the centurion pierced Jesus’ heart after he was dead, blood and water poured out.
Alfred Edersheim ‘The Temple’ page 278
“Then the ordinary sacrifice preceeded, the priest who had gone to Siloam so timing it, that he returned just as his brethren carried up the pieces of sacrifice to lay them upon the altar. As he entered by the ‘Watery gate,’ which obtained its name from the ceremony, he was received by a threefold blast from the priests’ trumpets. The priest then went up to the rise of the altar and turned left, where there were two silver basins with narrow holes – the eastern a little wider for the wine, and the western somewhat narrower for the water. Into these the wine of the drink offering was poured, and at the same time the water from Siloam, the people shouting to the priest, ‘Raise thy hand,’ to show that he really poured the water into the basin which led to the base of the altar.”

Water is something that we all use for cleansing purposes it speaks clearly of removing dirt and germs. When it is symbolically applied to our heart we can understand the implications, it removes the things that are unclean that spoil our relationship with God and other people; selfishness, pride, envy, covetousness, murder, deceit, fornication, slander and theft.
It works alongside of the blood of Jesus, his life laid down making the final sacrifice for sin, his life’s blood poured out for the sins of the world so that all may partake of his redeeming blood, a drink offering indeed. At our Communion service the wine is symbolic of Jesus’ blood shed for us and we drink in remembrance of his life laid down.
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” Hebrews 10: 22

Born of the Spirit.
Water also speaks of the Holy Spirit. John 7: 37 On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles, “Jesus said, “Is there anyone thirsty, then let them come to me and drink.”
He spoke of the Holy Spirit who would be poured out after his resurrection and ascension.
The Lord Jesus points us to the Holy Spirit quickening our spirit with the Holy Spirit so that we are born again into the Kingdom of God through faith in Jesus.

King James Bible 400th Anniversary The translators use the word quicken – made alive

Quicken – to become alive
Quickening – the period in pregnancy when the mother first becomes conscious of the movement of the child.

”And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” Ephesians 2: 1
”Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved.)” Ephesians 2: 5
”And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses.” Colossians 2: 13

Jesus separates that which is born of the flesh from that which is born of the Spirit. John 3; 6
As a result of the quickening we begin to discern the movement of Holy Spirit within our being. The Holy Spirit gives us discernment on his movements and on the movement of our soul. The words in the Bible become to us living words, they begin to shape our life as we move, using the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Soul – Hebrew – breath
The entire nature and personality of a person

The Flesh
“For the mind that is set on the things of the flesh is hostile to God.” Romans 8: 7
The flesh is also a term used to identify our self interest towards self preservation, self glorification, self indulgence, self gratification and self reliance, to live our lives dependant on our own reasoning, on our logical mind. To think outside the box is risky we feel that we are leaving ourselves vulnerable to things outside our control.
Jesus taught his disciples and those who believe in him to be reliant upon God living our lives in the Spirit.

Living in the Spirit
It isn’t easy to discern when our soul, our self interest is at work. It may be to tell a lie in order to cover up our failing in some way. Some times the Lord allows us to fall into sin and suffer the refining fire of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit convicts us in our heart and mind and our conscious bears witness that when we are out of step with the word and Spirit of the Lord.
Forgiveness and healing comes when we are sincere in saying sorry to the Lord, we enter into the freedom of Christ’s forgiveness.
It is harder to over come a fall into sin when the powers of darkness are behind that sin, we find ourselves battling against Satan. The armour of God is ours to use to bring us the victory. Ephesians 6:10-20
The prayers of other Christians are important to help us to defeat the onslaught from the principalities and powers in heavenly places.
Nearly twenty years ago I was attending a craft fair with my pottery, when a man a complete stranger came and confessed his sin to me, he told me that he was at the time a Pastor of a church and he had been wrestling with an addiction. (not drugs) We prayed together, through repentance and claiming Christ’s victorious blood over the addiction.

“I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16: 33
“No, in all things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 8: 37-39

Do not leave a window open for the moth to come and tarnish your spiritual house.
True riches and values are precious; the enemy will try and corrupt the scriptures concerning our walk in the Spirit of Christ.
Antinomianism Eyre and Spottiswoode RSV Bible Notes page 1683
“Some have supposed that the dispensation of the gospel releases man from the obligation to keep the law of God. This error is known as Antinomianism (opposition to moral law), and in its extreme form has led to the notion that the more sins the more grace abounds. Here, and in Romans 3:8; 6: 15-23, Paul conclusively means deliverance from the power of sin and death, not a continued thraldom to it.”

God forgave my sin
God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name;
I’ve been born again, in Jesus’ name,
and in Jesus’ name I come to you
to share His love as He told me too.
He said:
‘freely, freely you have received,
freely, freely give;
go in My name and because you believe,
others will know that I live.’

Bowl of water placed on a table
Bolton Archdeaconry Quiet Morning 2007 held at St Mary Rawtenstall
Sometimes it is good to ask the Lord to renew us in his Holy Spirit. During the morning after an appropriate prayer was said, Sister Theresa White asked everyone present to come and write their name in the bowl of water.While this was going on, we sang 'Spirit of the Living God, fall afresh on me.'

The Messiah's Secret - Emmanuel

The scriptures teach us to lean on the Lord, in doing so we are not looking to ourselves and our own understanding.

The Old Testament is mainly about the history, the journey of a nation, the Israelites, the people whom God chose to reveal himself to the world. God wanted his people to always lean on him, to look to him for their needs and guidance, for them to love him and listen and learn from him. But as we read the scriptures we find they were constantly falling away from their relationship with God.

Isaiah the son of Amos was a prophet to the Kings of Judah. In 750BC Rezin the King of Syria and Pekah the King of Israel came near to Jerusalem to make war against King Ahaz of Judah. God had given Isaiah a word of prophecy for King Ahaz. Isaiah took his son, Shearjashub with him, when he met with Ahaz. Isaiah told him that he must not be afraid of these two Kings; they would not come against Jerusalem and its King. Isaiah 7: 10-16

Isaiah encouraged King Ahaz to ask God for a sign, but Ahaz said that he would not put the Lord to the test. May be he was afraid to ask because of Gideon who many years before had found himself in a similar situation under threat of attack from the Midianites and the Amalekites in the Valley of Jezreel.

Gideon asked God for a sign.
Gideon asked God if he would deliver Israel and sought a visible sign from him, ”Behold I am laying a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece alone, and it is dry on the ground then I will know that you will deliver Israel by my hand, as you have said.” Next morning the fleece was ringing wet and the ground was dry. He asked God again but this time that the fleece might be dry and the ground wet. The following day he found the fleece dry and the ground was wet.

After the signs were given the Lord had not finished with Gideon, he was told by God to send home the men of Judah who were fearful of battle. Twenty two thousand went home. Then he was again told by God to send the men down to the water to drink, those who knelt down to drink were sent home the three hundred men who drank using their hands, he would use them to defeat the armies of the Midianites and the Amalekites. Judges 6: 36-40

King Ahaz had not the faith of Gideon we read that he had little faith. King Ahaz had said that he would not put the Lord to the test. I don’t think that he wanted to hear from God, scriptures records that he did not do what was right in the eyes of the Lord, he worshipped other gods. 2 Kings 16:1,2
Ahaz asked the Assyrian King for his help rather than heed to Isaiah’s prophecy and sign.
(The Assyrian Empire was situated north east of Judea, the river Tigris running through it.)

Under law in some circumstances it was wrong to test God and ask for a sign. Deuteronomy 6:16
Jews were sent to Jesus to test him, they asked him should they pay taxes to Cesar or not? Their question arose out of malice, and they were challenging God, there motivation was not from seeking the will of God or his help. In this situation Jesus said that it was wrong to test God.
Jesus would not perform a sign on request to prove that he was the Messiah.

Today should we ask for a sign?
I’ve been taught to look for confirmation before stepping out in faith. Confirmation that comes through someone else or through a word of scripture. This is not the same as challenging the Lord, giving him an ultimatum on what he is asking me to do, as to whether he will support it?
To seek a sign to confirm a word from the Lord out of obedience, rather than being motivated by seeking self assurance.

Isaiah’s two sons
When the people looked at Isaiah’s sons who had been named in association with prophesies, their names reminded the people as a sign that God was with them. Isaiah 8: 18

Isaiah's eldest son
Isaiah's eldest son was named Shearjashub meaning ‘a remnant shall be saved.’ Isaiah had prophesied that after the tree, (Judah) is cut down a stump would remain, from it a new nation would arise. Isaiah 6: 13

And in Isaiah 10: 20, 21 he spoke of Judah no longer being reliant on a king, but on the Lord.
“In that day a remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean upon him that smote them, but will lean upon the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God.”

Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled in the near future when the people returned from exile in Babylon to re-build the temple and in more recent times after their suffering in the second world war the state of Israel came into being and Jewish people returned to their Biblical home land.

Isaiah’s youngest son
Isaiah gave King Ahaz a sign from God, “A young woman would conceive and bear a son, and he shall be called Emmanuel. . . . Before the child knows the difference between right and wrong, good and evil, the two Kings who he was in fear of the King of Syria and the King of Israel, their land would be deserted, having been conquered by the King of Assyria.”
This prophecy had double fulfilment Isaiah’s wife conceived and bore a son they named him according to the Lord’s word Maher shala hash baz
‘Before he can say my father and my mother the wealth of Damascus and the spoil of Samaria will be carried away before the King of Assyria.” Damascus and Israel and later Judah would be taken over by the King of Assyria. Isaiah 8: 1-8
The name meaning - quick to plunder, swift to the spoil.'

Immanuel a sign not a child’s name
Emmanuel meaning – God with us’ it was the sign that God was with them in the fulfilling of the prophecy in the child’s name.
Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled when Mahershalahashbaz was three years old. In 732BC the Assyrian army swiftly conquered Damascus and within ten years Israel was defeated and its people were exiled, and the land was deserted. The Assyrians brought people from other lands to occupy their newly conquered territory. King Ahaz compromised his nation’s religion when he brought back from Damascus the plan of the pagan altar. In his weakness of faith he discredited and dishonoured God.

Isaiah’s sons had no power to perform miracles. Their testimony was in their names, a sign that God was with them.

In the New Testament Isaiah's prophecy of Messiah's birth
The Virgin Birth.

To have faith in the Virgin Birth is to believe that all things are possible with God. When a person receives healing through prayer, God heals within the body, without touching the flesh.
In 1978 Louise Joy Brown was born, she was the first test tube baby. It seemed incredible at the time. Drs Steptoe and Edwards made medical history when they developed the means were they were able to plant Leslie Brown’s fertilised egg into her womb. We take these breakthroughs in medical science for granted now, but I remember a comment at the time, ‘scientists were playing at being God.’

God fertilised the egg in Mary’s womb, without her flesh being touched. Mary gave Jesus his humanity; God the Father of Jesus gave him his Divinity.

Mary had a visit from the angel Gabriel he told her that she had been chosen to bear the Son of God; she was to name him Jesus. He would be the heir to the throne of King David and reign over Israel for ever. Mary’s response, “I have no husband, I’m not married and I’m a virgin.” angel Gabriel continued to reveal to her that, “The Most High would over shadow her.” The baby would be the Son of God. Luke 1: 26-35

Mary conceived either just after the angel spoke to her or when she arrived at Zechariah and Elizabeth’s home.
Straight away after the angel had spoken to Mary she left her home to visit Elizabeth who was six months pregnant. It would have taken her two/three days to go from Nazareth to the hill country of Judea, approx 80 miles via the Roman roads.
When Mary arrived at their home and greeted Elizabeth. On hearing this greeting Elizabeth’s unborn baby leapt in her womb. A baby first moves at 3 1/2 to 4 months, I remember experiencing myself this movement, it’s a slight fluttering. The baby at 6 months tends to stretch and kick, but to leap must have been very noticeable. As this took place Elizabeth filled with the Holy Spirit spoke out loudly this greeting, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child in your womb,” and then she referred to Mary being the mother of her Lord. These words confirmed that she had conceived without her flesh being touched by any man. Her song of joy overflowed as she magnified the Lord.
Advent 2009 lead by Martin our Vicar we studied the 17 attributes of God in Mary’s song.
Mary remained with Elizabeth supporting her through the following three months and then left to return to Nazareth. I wondered why Mary did not stay for the birth of John. Luke wrote that she returned to her home and in the next verse wrote “Now the time came for Elizabeth to be delivered, and she gave birth to a son. Luke 1: 39-56, 57.
(Thank you for your comment)
"Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit; and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly." Matthew 1: 18, 19.

Joseph was betrothed(engaged)in marriage to Mary.
After 3 months Mary returned to Nazareth she would know that she was having a baby by one of the symptoms that of morning sickness and maybe Elizabeth was able to comfort her having gone through the same experience. Would Mary have kept it from Joseph? I feel sure that she would have told Joseph that she was pregnant of the Holy Spirit. Joseph wrestled with the situation that he found himself in. He decided maybe to divorce her. Under Jewish law the father of the groom arranged the marriage and a bride-price was paid as part of the betrothal it was the first part of a marriage contract. The actual marriage could take place years later.
(In Matthew's gospel, he uses the technical term husband and wife under the betrothal context. Luke 2: 5 Luke informs us that they are betrothed when they make the journey to Bethlehem, the marriage service between them has not yet taken place.)

We are betrothed to Jesus Christ.
Father God arranged for the price for our salvation to be paid on the cross, this is seen as the bride-price and betrothal to Jesus Christ. The marriage between Jesus and his bride the church followed by the marriage supper has yet to take place. Revelations 19: 7, 9.

Joseph’s dream
The dream convinced Joseph that Mary was with child of the Holy Spirit.
Joseph was told by the angel in his dream to name the unborn child Jesus meaning saviour; he would save the people from their sins. Also he was to be the sign Immanuel meaning ‘God with us’.

When Matthew wrote this prophecy (after the evening of the Day of the Resurrection)he realised that it was one of Isaiah's prophesies that confirmed that Jesus was the Messiah.Isaiah’s prophecy fulfilled in Mary, “A virgin would conceive and bear a son, and he shall be called Emmanuel.”

When the people looked at Isaiah’s sons who had been named in association with prophesies, their names reminded the people as a sign, 'Emmanuel' that God was with them, along side of them.

Jesus he was the Christ child.
Jesus was God made visible in the flesh, Jesus meaning Saviour. The prophecy in Jesus' name was fulfilled in himself. Jesus saving us from the result of sin eternal death and darkness, it is through having faith in him, recognising our sin against the holiness of God, we say sorry to the Lord our God and by the Lord's love for us we are redeemed by Jesus' blood and receive the forgiveness of our sin against God our Father.
The sign 'Emmanuel' Jesus the living God was with them in the flesh.
Jesus gave signs to show that God was in their midst:
• he gave sight to the blind
• healed of kinds of sicknesses.
• raised the dead
• at the wedding in Cana he changed the water into wine.
• walked on water
• he stilled the storm

Joseph accepted the dream as a word from God to him. Joseph would receive the baby Jesus as his own child.
Joseph was prepared to stand and be stigmatised for Mary being with child before the marriage had taken place.

Adopted into the family of God.
Just as Joseph accepted Jesus and made him his own, so we have been adopted into the Lord’s family through faith in Jesus.
“Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenant of promise, having no hope and without God in the world”
Before Jesus we had no covenants with the God of Israel. Through Jesus’ death and resurrection the Gentiles have been brought into the new covenant.
“And might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross.” Ephesians 2: 12, 16.
All who accept him, who believe in his name, have been adopted into the family of God’s people. Jesus has made us his own.
“So that we might receive adoption as sons . . . God has set the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba! Father!” So through God you are no longer a slave but a son and if a son then an heir.” Galatians 4: 5-7

The disciples lean on Jesus
The disciples had been leaning on Jesus right up to the time of his arrest, but they did not understand the cross. God had hidden Jesus’ death from their understanding. (The Messiah’s Secret)
“For Jesus was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of man will be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, after three days he will rise.’ But they did not understand the saying and they were afraid to ask him.” Mark 9: 31, 32
The disciples were devastated by Jesus’ suffering and death. It wasn’t until the evening of the Day of the Resurrection that their minds were opened as Jesus breathed on them the Holy Spirit to understand about his death and resurrection in the Law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms. Now the Holy Spirit strengthened their faith in Jesus they could lean on him again.

Jesus had taught them that he would send the comforter, the Holy Spirit to be within them and he would lead them into all truth. At Pentecost the Holy Spirit came in power and filled them and thousands of people in Jerusalem also received him. This fulfilled Joel’s prophecy, the pouring out of the Holy Spirit in the last days.

So for us too the Lord wants us to lean on him when we are tired and weary, when the road is stony and hard to follow. Doubts and fears can come upon us when we are least expecting it. Our faith can seem shallow and weak, so the cross becomes a place of suffering with Jesus for the world. we lean on the knowledge that Jesus has died for those things: injustice, cruelty so that we don’t have to carry them on our shoulders, we place then on the cross. Hence the leaning on the cross, we can rest in what he has done for us.

My sister learnt to lean on the Lord
When she came to know the Lord in a personal way when her children were Christened (Baptised into the Christian faith) at her local Anglican Church.
My sister’s marriage was on the rocks, she was struggling with a violent husband. After she accepted Jesus her life style changed, instead of going along with her husband’s way of living she found she had the strength to stand against his tyranny.
“I have been crucified in Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2: 20. John 3: 16.
Sadly a few years later her marriage failed completely and her husband left her, she was faced with bring up seven children on her own; the youngest was less than a year old. The church family helped out, some of her closest friends even had a Godly envy as she was totally dependant on the Lord who upheld her over many years.

A Christian grows in faith out of suffering because it causes us to lean on the Lord and not on our own understanding.
Scripture verses that give us the assurance that Jesus is always there for us to lean on:
“When they deliver you up, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say; for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” Matthew 10: 19, 20.
“I am with you always, to the close of the age”. Matthew 28: 20
“I will never fail you nor forsake you”. Hebrews 13:5
“I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you will be also.” John 14: 3
Joseph and Mary

Joseph was prepared to give his love to Mary’s son in giving him a home. The shepherds came and witnessed what they had heard from the angels and later the wise men brought their gifts to Jesus.
A sign that Jesus lives in our heart, is when in our love for the Lord is revealed through our actions.
My sister as part of her income delivered the Free Newspaper in her locality; her younger children accompanied her before the other children came home from school.
The wages she received she gave as her offering to church. She told me that she wanted to give something back to the Lord, a love gift, for what he had done for her.