It's all about Jesus: His Baptism (Pt. 1)

(Part 1 of 2)

“As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”-Matthew 3:15-17.

Jesus’ baptism would prove once again to be yet another milestone in his life. His baptism would mark the beginning of his earthly ministry. Galatians 4:4 tells us that Jesus was born under law to redeem those under the law. Because he was born into a Jewish family, we see glimpses of him fulfilling the law throughout various phases of his life. He was circumcised at eight days old, consecrated 40 days after his birth, and at age 12 we find him in the temple celebrating Passover. He also followed the law when it came to beginning his earthly ministry.

Numbers 4:30 states that those involved in the priestly ministry would begin their service at the age of 30. Luke 3:23 tells us:

“Now Jesus himself was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.”

The baptism of Jesus would serve as his inauguration at which his ministry would be confirmed before both God and men. It would also serve to be a model for all those who would put their faith in him.

When Jesus approached John the Baptist, it is evident from Matthew 3:13-15 that John was hesitant about baptizing Jesus:

“Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.”

John felt as if he should be baptized by Jesus, rather than him baptizing the Son of God. Nevertheless, Jesus declared that it was proper for him to be baptized by John to fulfill all righteousness.

One reason that it was appropriate for John to baptize Jesus was because it served to fulfill the law. Leviticus 16:4 describes how a priest was to prepare himself to minister before the Lord:

“He is to put on the sacred linen tunic, with linen undergarments next to his body; he is to tie the linen sash around him and put on the linen turban. These are sacred garments; so he must bathe himself in water before putting them on.”

Priests were to immerse themselves in water prior to putting on the sacred garments which identified them as priests. Before Jesus began his priestly ministry on earth, he too immersed himself in water in keeping with the law.

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church

 

It's all about Jesus: His mission!

“Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: ‘Sovereign, Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.’ The child’s father and mother marveled at what was said about him.”-Luke 2:28-33.

From the moment Jesus took his first breath here on earth, his life was defined by a divine mission. It wasn’t a cause he chose to adopt, or something he grew into as he matured, but rather it was a mission he was born to accomplish.

The very first inclination of his mission was announced just eight days after his birth:

“On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise him, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before had been conceived.”-Luke 2:21.

According to Leviticus 12:3 every male child was to be circumcised on the eighth day in keeping with the Law of Moses. Jesus, in keeping with the Law, was circumcised on the eighth day marking him as a true son of Israel. During this ceremony, the name of the child is given. Joseph at this time would have pronounced the child’s name to be Jesus. The name Jesus means “The Lord is Salvation.” It was the name given to them by the angel Gabriel identifying Jesus as being the one who would save the people from their sins; his name itself bearing witness to his divine mission.

Approximately a month later, after the days of purification had ended, Joseph and Mary traveled to Jerusalem to present Jesus to the Lord in keeping with the Law of Moses which commands that every first born male be consecrated to the Lord. It is while they are at the Temple presenting their sacrifices that they have an encounter with a prophet named Simeon. Simeon, upon seeing the child, confirmed Jesus’ mission when he declared:

“For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.”-Luke 2:30-32.

Simeon identified Jesus as the Messiah that would bring salvation to Jews and Gentiles alike. Even in infancy, Jesus’s mission was clearly evidenced. Scripture tells us that “he grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him.” 

Later in Luke 2:41-47 we are introduced to Jesus again at the age of 12 years old. He has come with Joseph and Mary to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. When the feast was over, while his parents were returning home, unbeknown to his parents; the boy Jesus stayed behind. Upon realizing he was not in their company, Joseph and Mary returned to Jerusalem to find Jesus in the temple courts sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

Jesus’ parents, astonished to find him there, asked in Luke 2:48: “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.” Jesus’ response in Luke 2:49 is telling:

“Why did you seek me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”

It is uncertain when Jesus became conscious of his mission, but we know that by 12 years old he understood who his Father was and what his mission was on earth. Later, when Jesus was grown he would clearly articulate the reason for his coming:

“For the Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost.”-Luke 19:10.

This may be the most important thing that you ever learn about Jesus. Jesus was sent to save you! If you have never received Jesus as your Lord and Savior perhaps today you will put your faith in Him.

 

 

It's all about Jesus: A Savior has been born to you!

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Savior 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 2:8-12

The story of Jesus’ birth is a delicate balance of the mundane and miraculous. Jesus was born to two ordinary working class people: a young mother and a carpenter; his birth, although memorable, was not surrounded by any fanfare; he was simply wrapped in swaddling cloth and laid in a feeding trough in a lowly stable in Bethlehem. On the other hand, his birth was prophesied from days of old and announced by angels. In addition, he was conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of a virgin and visited by kings.

The story begins in Luke 1 where Mary is visited by the angel Gabriel. The angel declares to her that she will give birth to a son, that his name will be Jesus, and that he will be the Son of God:

“The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with Child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.”-Luke 1:30-31.

Mary stunned by the pronouncement asked how this would be as she was a virgin.  The angel declared: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”-Luke 1:35.

Needless to say, this put Joseph in a very difficult situation. His fiancée has just been found to be pregnant and he is not the father. Matthew 1:19 captures for us the heart of Joseph as he considered the situation:

“Because Joseph was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.”

But after he had considered this, he too had an encounter with the angel Gabriel who told him that the child Mary was carrying was conceived by the Holy Spirit, she would give birth to a son, they were to name him Jesus; because he would save his people from their sins.

Mary and Joseph believed and were obedient to do just as the angel had instructed them. The shepherds that visited Jesus that night heard the good news announced by angels; they heard the Word of the Lord and responded immediately.

Matthew 2:1-2 tells us that another group of men recognized Jesus coming when they saw a star appear in the east announcing the Messiah had been born. These three magi (kings of the east) travelled hundreds of miles to reach the place where Jesus was born, so they may worship him.

However, not everyone responded positively to the good news. King Herod heard from the wise men that Christ had been born. He confirmed it in the scriptures, but he did not draw near to worship; instead he sought to kill the child.

The coming of Jesus was announced by angels, by a star in the sky, by wise men, and by Scripture! However, when all is said and done, how you hear the message; whether magnificent or mundane, isn’t as significant as how you respond to it.

A Savior has been born to you! He came to save you from your sins, all you have to do is come to Him in faith, repent of your sins, and put your trust in Him.

 

It's all about Jesus: From everlasting to everlasting (Pt.2)

(Pt. 2)

“Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”-Isaiah 7:14.

Although Jesus’ coming was announced by angels at His birth; the details of His coming were being proclaimed by prophets long before. Isaiah prophesied that He would be born of a virgin; Jeremiah prophesied that He would be born of the line of David; and Micah prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem.

These are just a few surrounding His birth; there are hundreds of prophecies nestled within the pages of the Old Testament regarding His life, ministry, death, resurrection, and second coming.

God wanted mankind to know that He was going to reveal Himself to us through Jesus and described for us specifically the events surrounding His coming. Scripture and history bear out the fact that Jesus came just as it was foretold through the Holy prophets; but why did He come?

The simple answer to that question is “He came for you!” Jesus came to earth to satisfy man’s desire to know God more intimately. He came to reveal to us His true nature, His will, His workings, His truth, and His power. He also came to correct the many misconceptions people had about Him. He did this by becoming the audible expression of God:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”-John 1:1.

Author Ralph Riggs describes it this way in his book entitled “The Life of Christ”: “A word is an audible expression of an inaudible thought. Jesus would take the inaudible, invisible God and clothe Him in such a way men could see Him.”

The Apostle Paul recognized this when he wrote in Colossians 1:15:

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”

The writer of Hebrews declared:

“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.”-Hebrews 1:3

Jesus came to earth to display God’s love, compassion, patience, humility, and wisdom in such a way that you and I could truly know Him. Jesus said in John 14:9: “I am in the Father and the Father in me.”

If you want to know who God is, look to Jesus. God has and is revealing Himself to us still today through Jesus Christ.

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church

It's All about Jesus: From Everlasting to Everlasting (Pt. 1)

(Pt. 1 of 2)

“Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.”-John 21:25

Jesus Christ is distinct from any other person that has ever lived on the face of this earth. From His birth to His resurrection, Jesus distinguished Himself as being uniquely different from every mortal man and every false god. When we study who He is, His life, and ministry we discover that He is at the center of creation, the author of salvation, and will one day establish His kingdom in the earth and all men will bow before His throne.

Most people’s knowledge of Jesus typically begins with the season we are celebrating with their first exposure to Christ being the story of His birth. However, Scripture teaches us that Jesus was on the scene long before Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, and the wise men made His coming legendary. In Revelation 22: 13 Jesus made this very telling statement:

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.”

Jesus’ declaration communicates that He didn’t simply emerge out of the blue, but rather has eternally existed. Moses, the great man of God from the Old Testament, declared in Psalm 90:2:

“Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”

It is interesting to read in the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John how the writers choose to introduce Jesus to us. Matthew and Luke introduce us to Jesus at his birth. Mark introduces us to Jesus at the beginning of his earthly ministry. John introduces us to Jesus according to his eternal nature:

“In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.”-John 1:1-3.  “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”-John 1:14.

Before he came and made his dwelling among men, Jesus was intimately involved with creation:

“For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together”-Colossians 1:16-17.

 You and I are a part of that creation. We were not a byproduct of creation, but rather we were a planned part of His divine plan; chosen by Him to be His people before anything else was formed:

“For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.”-Ephesians 1:4-5.

Knowing we would be created with the free-will to either accept Christ or reject Him, God also planned out our redemption. His plan to save us was not something He thought up on the fly; rather Jesus coming to die for our sins was planned out at the very foundation of the world. The Apostle John describes Jesus in Revelation 13:8 as “the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.”

Jesus did not become the Lamb of God at Calvary; He has always been the Lamb of God from everlasting to everlasting.

 

This is War! Putting on the Full Armor (Pt. 10)

(Last in series)

 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.”-Ephesians 6:18-20.

The key to taking a stand against evil is to understand how we must be equipped to enter the fight and then showing up where the battle will be won.

Ephesians 6 tells us that the battle against wickedness does not begin in the classroom, the boardroom, or in the legislature. The battle is fought in prayer. In order to stand against evil, without attacking people, we must take the fight where the actual battle can be won. Rather than belittling one another, attacking each other personally, and allowing our differences to devolve into shouting matches; we must take our struggle to the rulers, authorities, and spiritual forces of evil in heavenly realms.

Ephesians 6:11-12 declares: “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

However, before blazing into prayer; we must be equipped with the full armor of God: the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shoes fitted with the gospel of peace, shield of faith, helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit.

Our enemy knows the power and effectiveness of a praying man or woman of God. In fact, he will do all that he can to distract and dissuade us from praying. If he cannot busy us or devalue the importance of prayer in our lives; then he will attack us personally.

That is precisely why we must be fully equipped before stepping into prayer. Each piece of armor provides an important layer of protection; additionally each piece of armor that we put in place enhances our ability to pray effectually.

Effectual and effective prayer is rooted in truth, righteousness, peace, salvation, and faith. It is deployed from our mouths like a mighty sword to accomplish the will of God.

However, the battle will never be won if we do not show up where the battle is being waged. We must show up in prayer if we are going to take our stand on the piece of ground we have been assigned to defend.

Pastor Scott Burr

Lead Pastor

Dayspring Community Church

This is War! Putting on the Full Armor (Pt. 9)

(Part 9)

 “Take the helmet of salvation and the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”-Ephesians 6:17.

The sword carried by the Roman soldier was the one piece of armor designed to be an offensive weapon: a double-edged sword designed to penetrate and slice causing both external and internal damage.

To understand the application of the Sword of the Spirit we first need to distinguish it from the Belt of Truth. Both articles of the armor are heavily associated with the word of God.

The Belt of Truth deals with our understanding of God’s Word. It is an intimate knowledge of the entirety of scripture that our whole value system is built upon. The Word of God is described for us in the Bible two ways: as the logos and the rhema. Logos is the entirety of God’s written word. Rhema is the spoken word of God, which is living and active. Both of these are seen in action in Matthew 4:5-7:

“Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. If you are the Son of God, he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: “He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.”

Notice how Satan takes scripture and uses it out of context in an attempt to entice Jesus off the path of obedience. In each instance, Jesus recognized that Satan was mishandling God’s Word and maligning the truth because he had an intimate knowledge of God’s Word in its entirety-the belt of truth. Upon recognizing that the Word of God was being misused; Jesus utilizes the Sword of the Spirit when he responds to each attack by speaking “It is written” and proclaiming the Rhema-spoken Word of God into that situation. Rhema, as the word of God, is not that which is simply believed; but that which is spoken. In fact, Rhema is a Greek word that describes something that is spoken. Therefore for the word of God to accomplish the will of God it has to be released:

 

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”-Isaiah 55:10-11.

It is when we speak the word of God that we begin to wield the Sword of the Spirit. We can believe what His word declares; but it takes faith to begin to speak out what we have accepted as truth.

It is important to remember however that the spoken word must be rooted and birthed from a consistent diet of the logos (written entirety of scripture). 2 Timothy 2:15 tells us that we must study to show ourselves approved; rightly dividing the word of truth. Doing so prepares us to address wickedness without attacking people.

Notice when Jesus confronted Satan; he matched him with the word of God. He did not attack his character or reduce himself to name calling. When you have rightly divided truth you can speak it with authority and power without being demeaning or abusive. In this way we employ the word of God most effectively.

 eHeHHHHHHDDDhh

 

Pastor Scott Burr

Lead Pastor

Dayspring Community Church