The Messiah’s Secret – Jesus the Vine

The Psalmist referred to the people of Israel as a vine. 

The nation of Israel described as a vine when they left Egypt for the Promised Land. God tended, cared for and pruned the vine as they made their journey towards the Promised Land. God’s tangible and visible presence led them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He provided water from the rock, Moses was instructed by God to strike the rock with his rod as he did water spewed out from it. God provided “manna” bread and “meat” quail (birds). The bread appeared like dew in the morning and quails descended on the camp providing meat. 

 “Thou didst bring out of Egypt a vine, thou didst drive out the nations and plant it. “                     Psalm 80: 8-19  RSV Bible

When they arrived in the Promised Land the vine was planted, the nation took root in the land of Canaan. 

God watching over his people was described as sitting under the vine.

“And Judah and Israel dwelt in safety, from Dan to Beersheba, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, all the days of Solomon.” 
1 Kings 4: 25

“ But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and none shall make them afraid; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Micah 4: 4.

“In that day, says the Lord of hosts, every one of you will invite his neighbour under his vine and under his fig tree.” Zechariah 3: 10. 

The Messiah’s Secret 

Isaiah wrote of God identifying his vineyard with Israel. “For the Vineyard of the Lord of Hosts is the house of Israel.” Isaiah 5: 7.

Alfred Edersheim describes the symbolic importance of the vine. “Two doors with gold plating, covered by a rich Babylonian curtain made up of the four colours of the Temple (fine linen, blue, scarlet, and purple), formed the entrance into the Holy Place. (Not the Most Holy Place.) Above it hung that symbol of Israel, a gigantic vine of pure gold, made of votive offerings each cluster the height of a man.” 

Edershiem “The Temple” page 58

Jesus the Vine.

John the Apostle recorded Jesus’ words in referring to himself as the vine.”I am the true vine.” Therefore if Jesus is the vine then Jesus is embodied in the people of Israel.    

The beloved vine Jesus embodied Israel 

Embodied meaning - be an expression of or give a tangible or visible form to.

God identifying himself as the vine, the people of Israel, and gave his tangible and visible form to them when God’s Son Jesus was born the descendant of King David. 

                                                      

Isaiah prophesied Israel’s vineyard would produce wild grapes this was fulfilled in Jesus’ day.    

”When he looked for it to yield grapes, why did it yielded wild grapes?” Isaiah 5: 4.

The Pharisees and Lawyers neglected justice they had taken away the key of knowledge; they added extra laws to the Laws of Moses these laws laid a heavy burden on the people, as they earned their righteousness under law. Luke 11: 42-52    

Justice.  

Jesus the true vine looked for justice; he taught that it was right to do good on the Sabbath Day. He acted on compassionate love very often going the extra mile to heal a sick person. The Pharisees, Sadducee, Layers and scribes their hearts were hardened, for them it was more important to keep the Sabbath day laws than for a person to be healed.  

Love.  

Jesus taught that the commandments were fulfilled in love: firstly to love God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind and secondly to love your neighbour as yourself. Loving the Lord with all your heart involves all the love we are capable of; with all the soul means giving the whole of our life to the Lord; with all our strength means doing everything to show love to him and with all our mind involves getting to know God especially through his word, for increased knowledge of him brings increased love.   

The Parable of the Vineyard  
Luke 20: 9-16 

The owner sent his servant to collect some fruit from the vineyard, but the tenants beat him and sent him away empty handed. Another servant was sent but they wounded him and treated him shamefully. He sent another whom they killed him. Many others were sent some they beat and some they killed.  

Jesus here has changed Israel position from being the vine to the tenants of God’s vineyard. He explains why through the servants who he sent to collect the fruit, Jesus’ referring to the prophets sent by God like: Elijah, Jeremiah and Isaiah to the leaders of Israel the vines of his vineyard to convict them and the people of their need to turn back to God and repent. 

Finally God the owner of the vineyard sent his son, surely he thought that they would respect his son, but they treated him the same as the prophets. 

An example of the battle for Israel’s vineyard that took place in the days of Elijah.  

Elijah spoke out against Israel’s King Ahab and Queen Jezebel’s dishonesty. King Ahab and Queen Jezebel desired Naboth’s vineyard, but Naboth would not give or sell his inheritance to them. Jezebel plotted against Naboth, she wrote a letter in King Ahab’s name to the elders and nobles who lived with Naboth in his city, “Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people; and set two base fellows opposite him, and let them bring a charge against him saying, ‘You have cursed God and the king.’ Then take him out and stone him to death.” The elders and nobles of Naboth’s city did as Jezebel had requested in the letter. Naboth an innocent man was killed by being stoned to death. As soon as Ahab heard from Jezebel that Naboth was dead, she encouraged him to go and take possession of the vineyard so King Ahab went and took possession of it. 1 Kings 21: 1-16.  

Jesus prophesied his death, “This is the heir, let us kill him and the inheritance is ours.”

The unseen principalities and powers of darkness were hoping that by killing Jesus the devil had a claim on Israel’s vineyard.   

The devil, who knew that Jesus was the Christ, but he did not know God’s plan of redemption through Jesus’ death and resurrection, which secured the victory over the devil’s power over death, sin and causes of sin. Mark 1: 24, 34.  

“Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same nature, that through death he might destroy him who has the power over death, that is the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to life long bondage. Hebrews 2: 14, 15    

In the parable of the Vineyard the tenants took the son they had killed and cast him out of the vineyard.   

This prophecy in the parable, was fulfilled when Jesus died on the cross outside Jerusalem’s city walls, the Jews made a sin offering of a red heifer outside the city walls.  This sacrifice had the highest significance to atone for “death” itself. Page 349 Alfred Edersheim, “The Temple”.   

The red heifer’s ashes were used for purification rituals for the removal of sin and were kept at the gates outside the walls of the city for the people to use. Numbers 19: 3, 9. Hebrews 9: 11-17.   

Death has no more dominion over us. 

The sin that leads to death has been dealt with by Jesus when he bore our sin on the cross and paid the price for it by lying down his innocent life and in his risen life. we see the victory over death.  

Through God given faith, hearing or reading, the living words of Jesus are received into the heart, the center of our being. The Holy Spirit dwelling within us acts upon the words and by a miracle we are changed, our hardened hearts are transformed, made new, we know that death has lost its capacity to reign over us. I noticed when this happened to me the fear of death had gone.

The Gentiles are an integral part of the vine    

Jesus concluded his parable when he spoke of the vineyard being given to another nation to bear the fruit of it. When we read Luke’s account of this parable, the other nation being the Gentiles from whom many would come to faith in Jesus, this nation comprised of both Jew and Gentile. The cross breaking down the barrier between Jew and Gentile. Ephesians 2: 11-22. 

Jesus speaking to his disciples paralleled the functions of the vine with Discipleship   

Jesus said, “I am the true vine and my Father is the vine dresser. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine and you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”  John 15: 1-5 

Jesus described himself as the true vine and said that his disciples are branches of the vine drawing and receiving their life and strength from the root and stem of the vine. The branches are tended, cared for and pruned by the Father and are called to abide in the vine.  Jesus said, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.”  John 15: 7. 

This word “if” speaks of making a choice to either make Jesus the Lord of our lives or to put ourselves as Lord of our life.  With Jesus the Lord of our lives we are called to abide in his words: to read, and study/meditate on the words of Jesus, also of putting his words into practice, prayer is an important integral part of it.   

We make these choices daily when we decide how to spend our time. Some days are busier than others, how we are feeling etc. To get through any day, it is best to bring all that we are hopefully going to do and hope to say before the Lord in prayer. Very often the word of scripture that we have read will give guidance, assurance and a blessing as the Lord walks with us.  

Our prayers often lead us to bring Jesus’ promises into focus, “ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you,” Love (Jesus) intercedes and contends on our behalf to fulfil his promises to us.  God given promises to us can be like Christmas presents that are given to us, but for some reason are left unopened. When in response to hearing the Lord's call we take that step of faith to share the good news of God’s love with another person. In doing so we are opening the gift of the promise of salvation and afterwards share in the joy of their entrance into God’s kingdom.  

Last week’s visit to the opticians opened up an opportunity to make Jesus known. In conversation with the optician I explained that I had been studying and reading a great deal. He asked me what I had been studying; I explained that I had been studying the Bible, Jesus being the Messiah and the book that I was updating. By his reaction he was surprised, but listened.   

The True Vine - Christ in You   

The Jews sat under the vine as they kept the Law of Moses. Jesus calls us to abide in the vine as we are part of the vine, its branches.   

Under grace the branch (disciple) is called to bear the fruit of Jesus’ word abiding in love and faith working through love, with the help of the Holy Spirit.  John 6: 63. 15 v 16, 17. Colossians 1 v 4.    

The branches are totally dependent upon its life’s source from the main stem and roots and we need the care and attention of the vine dresser to help the vine to produce good fruit.    

I knew a lady whose family owned a vineyard in Guernsey; she told me that they pruned the vine removing the suckers so that the branches could bear more fruit. God the Vine dresser takes from us the things in our life that take up our time and energy, by doing so he releases us to further his kingdom.  

A branch is complete, all that is required of it, is to grow and bear the fruit of its own harvest and it is equal to all the other branches in its composition and description. The fruit of the vine the grape is widely used to make wine as it has more spirit content when fermented than other fruits.  

The Spirit of God’s love is the sap that rises from the root of the vine to the branches. The Holy Spirit fills each believer with the love of God.  

The abundance of fruit does vary. Working with the Lord a Christian male or female has the potential to be Christ-like using the gifts of the Spirit and is responsible for the working out of our calling in Christ’s body, the church. We take responsibility for our commitment to the Lord’s work.                                                                                                                                                              

The Messiah’s Secret  – The  Samaritan  Woman at the Well 

Over Christmas we celebrated the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus. Isaiah prophesied the Incarnation in Chapter 49. God called Jesus, the second person of the Trinity to be born into this world, to be born of a woman into a Jewish family who were descendants of King David. The angel giving his parents the knowledge of his identity ‘the Son of God’ and his name ‘Jesus’ revealing that he was the Messiah. Jesus meaning Saviour, the ‘Redeemer of Israel’and the world.

Today we celebrate the Epiphany of Jesus ‘Epiphany’ means ‘showing’. Isaiah prophesied the light showing the good news of the Saviour reaching out to the nations of the world.

Jesus’ ministry reflected the healing of nations. We see this when he sought to heal the division between the Jews and the Samaritans. The Samaritan portrait by Jesus in his parable as the good Samaritan who helped the injured man whereas the pious Jews wouldn't help. The Samaritan village that turned him away as he reached out with the good news of the coming kingdom of God and the Samaritan man that was healed of his leprosy who came back to thank Jesus. 

Tom Wright in his book ‘Paul for Everyone’ writes about getting the true perspective on a situation by this illustration. ”When I was a first year physics teacher the question was asked in an examination: What was the advantage of having two eyes?

The correct answer, of course, was that with two eyes you can see things in three dimensions, and learn to judge distances, speeds and so on. One boy, however, wrote as his answer: ‘Having two eyes means that you can twice as far; and if one eye stops working you’ve always got the other one to fall back on!’

The teacher enjoyed this so much that he read it out to the class as a fine example of ingenuity for what you lack in information. But of course the true answer remains important: with only one eye you don’t get things in their proper perspective. You need two if you’re to see them with all three dimensions.”

Looking at our Gospel reading John’s account of Jesus in conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well through this three dimensional view of Jesus  : the height, the depth and the width.

a)The height of Jesus being the Messiah.

b) The depth his suffering and death on the cross.

c) The width he heals in his embrace of the nations of the world.

The woman like the boy showed her ingenuity, in regard to the water from Jacob’s well.

Jesus went from Judea to Galilee, but John wrote that he had to through Samaria where he came to a city of the Samaritans, Sychar. The division between Jews and Samaritans was so acute that the Jews would not set foot into the region of the Samaritans, but instead would take a roundabout route going east of the Jordan.

Just outside Sychar he rested at Jacob’s Well, his disciples had left him to go and buy some food in the city.

While Jesus stood at the well he did the unthinkable he spoke to the Samaritan woman. He was reaching out breaking down the barriers of division between them by asking her to give him a drink of water to satisfy his need.

Her guard was up, disturbed by his request she pointed out that she was a Samaritan and the Jews had no dealings with them. Maybe she considered that he had no bucket so would a Jewish man want to drink from her bucket, which she knew he would have considered unclean.

Then Jesus spoke of giving to her ‘living water’. Jesus said that those who drink the water from this well would thirst again, but the water that he would give would become a spring of water welling up to eternal life.

As his words resonated with her spirit, she inquired in her ingenuity as to where he would get this living water from? She thought in a logical way, not wanting to keep going to the well for water to quench her thirst.

Jesus continued the conversation by showing her that he had the gift of knowledge, he shed his light and revealed her personal life revealing her 5 marriages and her current relationship. This knowledge she associated with a prophet. 

This lady was beginning to see the three dimensional view of Jesus as she was aware of the expectation of the coming of the Messiah and she declared that he would explain everything.

The words from Jesus  the height  of understanding and knowledge that identified him as the Messiah as well as Jesus telling her that he was the Messiah. This news opening up to her a new true perspective the living waters of salvation coming from  him.

The division between Jew and Samaritans was brought out by the discussion between Jesus and the woman over the site of the temple.

“The Samaritans were the descendants of the pagans that settled in the land of Judea during the time of the Babylonian captivity, along with the few Jews who remained in the land. (2 Kings 17: 24-34.)They formed their own religion, a mixture of Judaism and paganism. They adopted the Pentateuch as the sole sacred book and erected a temple on Mt Gerizim near Shechem. 331 BC. The returning Jews from exiles rejected their help in rebuilding Jerusalem and the temple situated there. (Ezra 4. Nehmiah 1. 4. 6.) The breach between the returning Jews became permanent and so acute that the Jews would not pass through Samaria to go into Galilee, but had a circuitous(round about) route east of Jordan.”(John 4: 9. 8: 48) Dake’s  Annotated Reference Bible.

History also records that the Samaritan Temple was destroyed by John Hyrcanus in 128 BC and was never rebuilt. At the time of Jesus, the Samaritans worshipped at the base of Mt Gerizim except for the annual Passover which took place near the ruins of their Temple.

By Jesus bringing to light the cause of the division, he also revealed the means by which the healing could be brought about through Jesus making the temple at Jerusalem obsolete. Salvation coming from the Jews, but from Jesus by him being the final sacrifice for sin and God presence leaving the temple at Jerusalem.

We have seen history repeating itself the conflict between Jew and Palestinian for over almost 100 years since the return of the Jews to their homeland 

But with one difference the cross.

The cross that was driven into the ground at Calvary where the King of Peace wore a crown of thorns, each thorn pressing against his flesh representing a nation in conflict, the bigger the thorn the deeper the wound.

The nails that had been driven into his hands and feet, each hammer crushing blow bearing the pain of disputes and arguments the fighting and the killing blows of hatred.             

His body beaten and hung disjointed and twisted representing the devastation of war. He bore all of man’s inhumanity to man.

The depth of God’s love Jesus life’s blood shed for all the sins of the world and the land. 

Where would Jesus the risen Lord be standing in this conflict between Palestinian and Israel? I believe he would be saying to both people, "But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons and daughters of your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5: 44, 46.  

The Messiah’s Secret Revealed.          

Luke records Jesus wept over Jerusalem. “And as he drew near and saw the city he wept over it saying, “Would that even today you knew the things that made for peace! But now they are hid from your eyes. For the days shall come upon you, when your enemies will cast a bank about you and surround you, and hem you in on every side, and dash you to the ground, you and your children within you, and they will not leave one stone upon another in you; because you did not know the time of your visitation.” Luke 19: 41 – 44.

Did Jesus' tears reflect the pain of the cross that he knew he was to endure?

He knew that his death was hidden from the eyes of understanding of the Sanhedrin so that the prophesies would be fulfilled concerning his death and resurrection, and did he fore see his rejection by the nation’s leaders at and after Pentecost when the disciples were proclaiming for the first time that Jesus was the Messiah, and as a result  of their not knowing the time of his visitation they had left themselves open to the devils devices, he foresaw Jerusalem surrounded with armies and its destruction. Jesus foresaw it all and he wept.

The width of God’s love revealed when Jesus informed her of God’s love for the Samaritans and many of the Samaritans came to Jesus from that region and were healed and brought to faith in him

The Samaritan woman heard the truth from Jesus, “The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth, for such the Father seeks to worship him. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and in truth.” Verses 23, 24

Jesus was to make the temple obsolete through his death and resurrection.

                                                 

Abraham looked for a city whose builder and maker was God. The heavenly Jerusalem. People from all of the nations living together in peace under the King of Kings and Lord of Lords worshipping God his Spirit and word dwelling in the temple of our hearts.

These religious squabbles affect people who are seeking God

On Christmas Day in conversation with James a University student I was asked about my faith and in that conversation that followed the young man pointed out how he was put off by the squabbling and divisions between people and their religions and that all religions are the same.

I witnessed to him that my faith is real to me as I have been healed through faith in Jesus and one experience is worth a thousand arguments. I pointed out that in the Bible in the Old Testament there are prophesies that have fulfilled in the New Testament by Jesus and he reveals the way to find God. 

I have met a number of young people like James who hold a similar view and I realize that  in the majority of our schools religious education is taught by paralleling stories across the faiths, secularizing all faiths. In doing so regrettably the prophesies that are in the Bible and their fulfillment are left out by many teachers, and future prophesies are not touched upon.  

The church has this ministry of telling people about the prophesies that Jesus fulfilled, and the future prophesies that concern all of humanity. (Blog 'Isaiah's Prophesies Fulfilled' over 30 prophesies fulfilled in one day) and www.messiahs-secret-revealed.co.uk Part 7 for future prophesies)

Young people who are seeking the truth about the way to find God, when they hear about prophesies regarding Jesus being the Messiah and future events of his return, by God’s grace they will respond and accept Jesus as their personal Saviour.

The ministry of reconciliation as we are aware starts with us in our churches, many of our inner city churches are learning to welcome people from all over the world as they integrate into our society. Our new Bishop of Manchester Bishop David Walker at his enthronement service said, "It is the Churches job to facilitate belonging to God. Our Churches should be a place where people can grow in their sense of belonging. When people who start to come to Church should not be confronted with ‘this is how we do things here.’ They should expect, to be asked to share with us what they have and we should share with them. The Church is a place of welcome with hospitality at its core." 
May the love, the height and the depth of Jesus shine out from our hearts over this coming year.  Happy New Year! Dorothy

The  Messiah’s  Secret –  Advent  of the Star of David.

I noticed on Tesco’s mince pies it has a star with 6 points.in pastry on the top, the star of David has 6 points.

Professor David Hughes of Sheffield University writes"If you read the Bible carefully," says Hughes, "the Magi saw something when they were in their own country - [probably Babylon] - so they traveled to Jerusalem and had a word with King Herod."

According to the story, the Magi told Herod of the sign they had seen and, says Hughes, "when they left Jerusalem [for] Bethlehem, they saw something again".

Hughes's best explanation for this series of events is something known as a triple conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn - with the two planets coming close together in the sky three times over a short period."

My view on this explanation is that this triple conjunction between Jupiter and Saturn may have had the appearance of a star, but wasn't in fact a star.

Another theory is that the star was light from the birth of a new star, or nova.There are records - again from astronomers in the Far East - of a new star in the small, northern constellation of Aquila in 4BC.Hughes says: "People who like this theory say this new star would have been [positioned] directly over Jerusalem."

Dr Robert Cockcroft, manager of the McCallion Planetarium at the McMaster University in Ontario says a nova is "a good candidate" for the star of Bethlehem.  BBC Website

Astronomers have discovered how stars are born, they begin within clouds of dust, through turbulence deep within these clouds some of the dust sticks together to form a mass, a star is born. At its center it begins to get very hot and the gases hydrogen and helium begin to work together, fusion takes place and as a result the star begins to shine. (Stars Wikipedia)

The Messiah’s star “A star shall come forth out of Judah,” the ‘Star of David.’ Numbers 24: 17

At the time of Jesus’ birth there was one star that shone above the rest and three men who noticed this star, they lived to the east of Jerusalem  set out and followed this star and when they arrived at Jerusalem they asked King Herod, “Where is he who is born King of the Jews. For we have seen his star in the East.” Matthew 2: 1, 2.

The three wise men believed that the star would lead them to find Jesus and we know that they did find Jesus. 

Romans 1: 1-7  Matthew 1: 18-end

Matthew recollects the birth of Jesus, he recalled when Mary and Joseph were betrothed before they were married she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit. 

 ‘The Christmas Experience’  

The producers of the DVD dramatized the events that surround Jesus’ birth by reconstructing the town of Nazareth:  a small group of stone dwellings and with the inhabitants clothed in the dress of the day, and with the animals: donkeys, goats and sheep making it realistic. The producers of the DVD carefully filled in the gaps on the events that took place that the Bible does not elaborate on.   In the first part a scene at Mary’s family home where they included the birth of Mary and later the love story, the meeting between Joseph and Mary and their betrothal were the Rabbi conducted a ceremony. 

On the third week of our Advent Bible Study we discussed various aspects on the DVD that related to the news of Mary being with child. When Joseph heard from her father that she was pregnant, he reacted how any man would react today: upset, angry, and also disbelieving when Mary said that God was the Father. 

We also thought along with the DVD that when it came to light that Mary was having a baby the residents of Nazareth would not have been overjoyed with the news. Even though Mary was under law and legally betrothed to Joseph  she risked being punished by the law (adultery) by being stoned to death, but Joseph stood by her.

Their family, friends and neighbours in Nazareth would have perhaps realize Joseph’s heartache,  and as Matthew informs us that Joseph contemplated annulling the betrothal between them, it was only after the dream that he was convinced that Mary’s baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Joseph's Dream.

When we look closely at the words Joseph heard in his dream, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit; she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

The angel addressed Joseph as the son of David, David was not his father’s name, his father's name was Jacob (verse 16) but it was referring to him being a descendant of King David. 
Paul in his letter to the Romans wrote confirming the prophecy that Jesus was the Messiah a descendant of King David. Romans 1: 3 Both Mary and Joseph were descendants of King David. Mary the daughter of Heli. Luke 3: 23

As Christians we do not inherit our faith from our family’s tradition of being Christians. We become Christians by being born into the family of God through faith in Jesus.

Jesus’ name means ‘Saviour’.  God’s word to Joseph, Jesus would save the people from their sins.

Over the centuries billions of people’s lives have been changed through the acceptance of Jesus as their Saviour. 

We know how stars are born and how we are born, but Jesus wants us to be born again.

To try to explain I have brought with me a snowflake, a real snowflake began its life in a cloud as a droplet of water. The cold temperature freezes the droplet and it falls to the earth as snow. When we look at a snow it is white, but in fact each snowflake is clear ice, what makes its appearance white: the ice crystals pick up on its surface rays of light and it remains, so whether it’s day or night snow remains white. Each snowflake has a different pattern usually with 6 points ( Snowflake Wikipedia)
So God does an amazing transformation of us. Just as the droplet of water is transformed into ice, the Holy Spirit acts upon the words that tell us about God’s love in sending his Son to bear our sins upon the cross, through taking our sin upon himself, Jesus redeems us, forgives us and we receive a free pardon which transforms our heart, soul and spirit we are born again. As a result we can now  see how God has delivered us from the darkness of living our lives without God.

The snowflake picks up rays of light.

 “Jesus said, “I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”   John 12: 46  

The snowflake in darkness of night, the rays of light still remain. Jesus came to give light to the world, light in the darkness. We live in the midst of the world's darkness and like Joseph we have choices to make, he could have thought only of his reputation and annulled his betrothal to Mary, but in the light of his dream God's word to him he chose to marry Mary.
We can be faced with a choice that God has brought us to, in order to make that decision it is advisable to wait on God and to share our situation with a trusted Christian friend and pray for the Lord's guidance. 

We are changed, born again like the drop of water into a snowfake, when we accept Jesus as our Saviour.
Snowflake - no two are alike.
The snowflakes have different patterns with 6 points which reminds us that and we are all different in having our own DNA and our own individual finger prints, however we have one thing in common Jesus.  
Like the snowflakes lighting up the darkness, Jesus uses his light of the good news in us, to give light to others. 

On the DVD Joseph and Mary were married before the announcement of the Roman census and when the news came for them to comply with the census and go to Bethlehem, it must have been the last thing that they wanted to do, so near to Mary giving birth.

When we are planning an event we pray that nothing will go wrong, no last minute hitches. One can only guess how anxious Joseph and Mary were having to leave for Bethlehem. But this  can be God’s way of making it so that they would trust in him.

It is good to be reminded at Christmas of putting our faith and trust in God just as Mary and Joseph did all those years ago. 

Note. Adding story lines to Biblical events has always been discouraged by the church, so as not to undermine the truths of scripture for future generations.

Mary Chosen by God

A short study on Predestination

Predestination Under the Law of Moses

Predestination – to determine beforehand; to preordain by an unchangeable purpose. 

Under Law In the Hebrew Scriptures when God had a particular task for a person the Holy Spirit fell on them. They were singled out and filled with the gifts, whether it was to prophecy like Zechariah the father of John the Baptist, ”And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying “Blessed be the God of Israel, for he has visited his people,” or 
like Mary who was chosen by God to bear the Son of God, the archangel Gabriel said to Mary, “Hail, O favoured one, the Lord is with you. . . . “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favour with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.”. . .  The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.” Luke 1: 26-35

John the Baptist baptized Jesus and at his baptism the Holy Spirit descended upon him, they heard God speak, “Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased.” Luke 3: 21-23 Hearing God speak would remind them of how God spoke to the children of Israel on their wilderness journey. Exodus 19: 9. 20: 22.

God had designated (office by appointment) Jesus to be the Messiah. 

In the synagogue at Nazareth Jesus opened the book and read from the prophet Isaiah, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind to set at liberty those who are oppressed to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.” Jesus went on to say “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”Luke 4: 17-30  
The men in the synagogue were filled with anger as Jesus had intimated that he was the Messiah. During his ministry Jesus fulfilled this prophecy when he opened the eyes of blind Bartimaeus, freeing the oppressed mad man at Gerasenes setting him free from the demons that possessed him. Many thousands of people who were healed of their illnesses and diseases, and the dead were raised like Lazarus. 

The Messiah’s Secret.

Jesus did not openly proclaim himself to be the Messiah nor did his disciples; it was often inferred, but never proclaimed. During the Feast of Tabernacles Jesus was preaching in the Temple, during the discussion that followed they discussed whether Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah. “Some of the people of Jerusalem said, “Is this the man they seek to kill? And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ? Yet we know where this man comes from; and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from.” John 7; 25-27. Jesus did not reveal that he was the Messiah because he foreknew that he had to die on a cross and be raised from the dead.

Matthew records Jesus telling his disciples that they must not tell anyone that he was the Christ. And then he revealed to them that he was going to suffer and die. “Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.” Matthew 16: 13-23

Jesus chose twelve disciples from his followers.

After he had called brothers Peter and Andrew James and John and Matthew, Jesus later spent all night in prayer choosing the twelve disciples from among the other disciples. Luke 6: 12-16.

Jesus knew Judas was the one who would betray him through the course of events that would take place when the time came for his departure from the world at Jerusalem. Luke 9: 31

Jesus’ message was all inclusive

Jesus taught in the synagogue at Capernaum Jesus said, “For this is the will of the Father that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him should have eternal life; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets, ‘And they shall all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me.” “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life.”John 5: 6: 40, 44, 45.

After hearing from Jesus that unless a person ate his flesh and drank his blood they would not have the life of God within them, some of his disciples decided not to continue to follow him.  “But there are some of you that do not believe.”     

For Jesus knew from the first who those were that did not believe.” Jesus asked his disciples, “Do you also wish to go away?” Peter made his choice and replied, “Lord to whom shall we go, you have the words of eternal life.” John 6: 64, 66 – 68.   

All in the synagogue were taught by Jesus about him being the bread of life.  In the justice of God everyone present had the choice to believe or not.  

On another occasion Jesus said, “And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But he who denies me before men will be denied before the angels of God. And everyone who speaks a word against the Son of man will be forgiven; but he who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven.” Luke 12: 8-10   

Jesus gave those disciples who turned away from him every opportunity to accept him.

God knew in his foreknowledge who would respond and those who would turn away.    

It was God's plan to send Jesus to redeem us by his life laid down, God had predetermined that Jesus would come and save us through his death on the cross and resurrection. But even Jesus in his free will could have turned away from what God his Father had called him to do. Jesus could have called legions of angels to repel his suffering and death. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus was tempted not to drink of the cup of his suffering and death. “Father if thou art willing, remove this cup from me; nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done.” Luke 22: 42. 

 Jesus died to his own will and as we know died on the cross and was buried in a tomb and God raised him from the dead, his blood being accepted by God as the final offering for the sin of the world.   

Josephus recorded Jesus’ resurrection in his book ‘Antiquities of the Jews' 

Book XVIII Chapter 3: 3’     

3. Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man; for he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ.   

And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him; for he appeared to them alive again the third day; as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.”   

Under Grace the Holy Spirit was poured out at Pentecost.                                                       

The Holy Spirit no longer fell on people as they were chosen by God for a particular task. After Pentecost the Holy Spirit was given to all who repented and believed in Jesus and is still received today.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3: 16.

“Jesus said, “I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.”   John 12: 46  

Did Paul teach predestination?

Paul in his letter to the Romans wrote, “We know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose. For those he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the first-born among many brethren. And those he predestined he also called; and those who he called he also justified; and those who he justified he also glorified.” Romans 8: 28-30.

In the same letter Paul wrote, “But what does it say? The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart (that is the word of faith which we preach) because, if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved. For man believes with his heart and so is justified, and he confesses with his lips and so is saved. The scripture says, “No one who believes in him will be put to shame. For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, the same Lord of all and bestows his riches upon all who call upon him. For, 'every one who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' Romans 10: 8-13

In the foreknowledge of Almighty God He knows all things from beginning to end, but in His justice He will give all the opportunity to receive Jesus as their personal Saviour.

Abraham in his conversation with God over His plan to destroy the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah said to God, “Will you thou indeed destroy the righteous with the wicked? . . .  Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Through Abraham’s appeal to God’s justice, Lot and his two daughters were saved from the destruction. Genesis 18: 22-19: 29

Predestination would teach us that our place in God’s kingdom is fixed once we have turned to Christ in true faith. This question of knowingly continuing to sin even though Jesus died for sin, this I feel is where predestination falls down.

“What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound.” Romans 6: 1

John Wesley “For Wesley, good works were the fruit of one’s salvation, not the way in which that salvation was earned. Faith and good works go hand in hand in Methodist theology a living tree naturally and inevitably bears fruit. Wesleyan theology rejects the doctrine of eternal security, believing that salvation can be rejected. Wesley emphasized that believers must continue to grow in their relationship with Christ, through the process of Sanctification.”  

Christians who teach Predestination say that God acknowledges those who have received Jesus as their Saviour and are secure from being turned away from the kingdom of God even though they later in their life they commit apostasy. 

This conflicts with the writer of the letter to the Hebrews wrote that once a person has received the Holy Spirit and the ministry of the Holy Spirit for themselves and then turns away from him, committing apostasy rejecting faith in Christ, then they are cut off from Christ.

“For it is impossible to restore again to repentance those who have been one enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit and have tasted the  goodness of the word of God and powers of the age to come, if they then commit apostasy, since they crucify the Son of God on their own account and hold him up to contempt.” Hebrews 6: 4-6 

Strong words from the writer of Hebrews, if a person truly repents, I would like to think that Jesus would have mercy.

Updated two days after publication.This morning while continuing to think about it, I realized that the writer of Hebrews was enforcing the 'Ruling rod of iron' the Apostles were setting up the kingdom in expectation of Jesus' return within their life time. "It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Watch therefore-for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at the cock crow, or in the morning, lest he come suddenly and find you asleep." Mark 13:34-36. They had been told to be about their masters business until he returned. Parables Pounds and Talents Luke 19: 11-27. Matthew 25: 14-30. Jesus hoped to return within their life time Matthew 16: 27, 28. Mark 8: 38. 9: 1. Authority given to disciples to retain or forgive the sins of people. John 20:23. Peter retained the sins of Ananias and his wife Sapphira. Acts 5:1-11. Here in Hebrews verse 4 he wrote 'For it is impossible to restore again to repentance . ." which would suggest sins being retained. (www.messiahs-secret-revealed.co.uk for more study on the Messiah's Secret)

Paul’s letter to the Ephesians

“Even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. He destined us in his love to be his sons through Jesus Christ . . .  In him, according to the purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the council of his will; we who first hoped in Christ have been destined and appointed to live for the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1: 3-12.

John Calvin wrote, “When Paul declares that we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world he certainly shows that no regard is had to our own worth; for it is just as if he had said, Since in the whole seed of Adam our heavenly Father found nothing worthy of his election, he turned his eye upon his own Anointed, that he might select as members of his body those whom he was to assume (true without proof) into the fellowship of life.”

Calvin  continues, “By saying the Christians of Ephesus were elected before the foundation of the world, he takes away the reference to worth. For what ground of distinction was there between persons who as yet existed not, and persons who were afterwards like them to exist in Adam? But if they were elected in Christ, it follows not only that each was elected on some extrinsic (not contained or included within) ground, but that some were placed on a different footing from others. . . . Whatever virtue appears in men is the result of election.” ‘Calvin Institutes’ page 496
I cannot see how, ‘Whatever virtue appears in men is the result of election” before the foundation of the world could in any way add to our salvation in Christ. Jesus did a complete work of salvation in his death and resurrection.

Adam’s sin is still inherited today, it continues to be passed down the generations. John the Apostle wrote, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”1 John 1: 8. 3: 4-9.

Paul wrote, “For there is no distinction; since all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Romans 3: 23.

As I see it there is good in everybody as well as bad, under law a good tree bore good fruit and a bad tree bad fruit, the nature of a person could not and cannot be changed with or without the law.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” Romans 5: 8. Our nature is transformed by the Holy Spirit’s action upon our turning to Jesus in repentance and faith. ‘Come into my heart Lord Jesus, there is room in my heart for thee.”

John Calvin wrote, “Because we know not who belongs to the number of the predestined, or does not belong, our desire ought to be that all may be saved; and hence every person we meet, we will desire to be with us a partaker of peace. But our peace will rest upon the sons of peace.”

John Calvin acknowledges God’s justice in desiring that all should be saved, but then he made it conditional by inferring selection by predestination when he wrote “But our peace will rest on the sons of peace." Page 512

The Church, Christ’s body was in the mind and heart of God before the foundation of the earth. Jesus would have all to abide in him in love and faith. “Many that are first will be the last and the last first.” Mark 10: 31.

“A lady died and went to heaven, on her arrival she looked around for the people she knew. However, to her surprise there were people there who she did not expect. And I would think the same would apply to the other place too.”