This week we are exploring Matthew 8:1-13 and Luke 7. Right off the bat we get to read about Jesus healing the leper. I love this story because this man living with a terrible disease came to Jesus in faith that Jesus could heal him but was humble enough not to assume Jesus would be willing.
So often in my life I have come to Jesus knowing He could heal my brokenness, but submitted myself to His will, whatever that may be. Sometimes our idea of how we want to be healed or helped is different than God’s way and we need to be willing to submit to His ways and timing in faith. His ways are always better than our own.
Describe a time in your life you trusted God’s will to be done in your life even if it meant you would continue to suffer.
When we call on Jesus in faith, trusting in His power and plan, He will do miracles in our lives. It won’t necessarily look like this leper who was literally healed of his leprosy in a moment, but our faith can move mountains in our lives and in our hearts. We give Him our faith and allow Him to have power over us and our lives for His divine plans and purposes.
We see this again with the faith of the Centurion. This Centurion made it clear he was a leader of men and understood what it meant to have great authority. Yet this man in such a position was humble enough to call upon Jesus yet not assume himself so great as to be worthy of Jesus’ help or presence.
Jesus then tells the people, and therefore us, that there will be many gentiles, those not born of the line of Abraham, not of Jewish heritage, who will come to Jesus, but that there will be some born of Abraham’s line who are not truly faithful to God and will not see the Kingdom of Heaven. This teaches us that anyone can come to Jesus, and that He wants true repentance and faith, not lip-service or false faith. Christ came to save ALL who would come to Him in faith.
What difference has faith and repentance made in your life? Why is it important to remember this?
Later in Luke 7 we see Jesus bring a widow’s son back to life. This is such a wonderful story and reminder of God’s power. We also see that this was to bring God glory – not just to help the widow and restore the boy.
We must always remember that all we do should be to glorify God, and that what He does is for His glory. This is a blessing that we get to be a part of His plan and participate in bringing Him glory so that others may also come to Him and likewise bring Him glory through their faith.
Describe a time in your life God was glorified in a way you did not expect.
Jesus reminds us through this chapter of Luke that those who are not offended by Him, those who come to Him in faith, those who truly repent, those who seek and receive His forgiveness are those who bring God glory. Those who have been forgiven much love much.
Those who fail to repent, who remain in their unbelief, do not know the forgiveness and love of God because their hearts remain hardened against Him. Those who have been forgiven the most are more grateful and love God deeper than those who harbor or deny their sin, or who don’t have as much to be forgiven of.
How have you experienced or witnessed the reality of Jesus’ statement that those who are forgiven much love much?
Studying the gospels in chronological order is wonderful for comparing the different perspectives of each person’s account. This week we are diving into a section of Matthew that is packed with wisdom and warnings.
Last week we ready through the Beatitudes in Luke’s account of the gospel, and this week we begin with Matthew’s account. Matthew recalls more of what is usually called the Sermon on the Mount. He tells us that those who are poor in spirit, who mourn, are humble, who long for righteousness. are merciful, are pure in heart, are peacemakers, and are persecuted are blessed.
What about the Beatitudes stands out the most to you and why?
Jesus goes on to explain that we are the salt of the earth as well as the light of the world. He uses these images to explain that we are meant to go out and share the love and light of Jesus with the world. Salt must maintain its seasoning and light must not be hidden. We must be active participants in God’s plan to redeem the whole world by sharing what we have learned with others.
What are some ways you can share your faith in your day-to-day life?
One of the main lessons in the whole of Matthew 5-7 is that all we do should be for the glory of God. Jesus gives specific ways we can bring God glory, and He also provides many warnings for us. He commands us to not judge, hate, murder, commit adultery, lie, and may other things. Where there are instructions for how to live, there are also warnings for what to avoid.
One aspect of Matthew 5 that is a particular struggle in our culture is Matthew 5:38-48 where Jesus tells us that we are to be different than the world – when the world says to take revenge, to do as others have done to you, Jesus says do as you would want others to do to you. He takes this even further in commanding us to love our enemies. With this command it is vital to remember and understand God’s definition of love found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
How can you love your enemies better, according to God’s definition of love?
Matthew 6 focuses on not showing off and stresses the point to be earnest. There is a time to share your faith and pray with and for others, and there is also a time for private intimacy with God alone. On the one hand, share your faith! Live it out! On the other, make sure you take time to grow in your relationship with the Lord privately just between the two of you.
Where do you need more balance in your own faith and relationship with God?
Through Matthew 6 and 7 Jesus instructs us in generosity, prayer, fasting, finances and wealth, anxiety, judgment, obedience, and bearing fruit. I appreciate that Jesus took time to specifically address each of these points.
What about these instructions stands out the most to you and why?
This week we are focusing on a beautiful set of passages that include so many important lessons. Matthew 12:1-21, Mark 3:1-12, and Luke 6:1-11 all reflect on Jesus proclaiming Himself as Lord of the Sabbath. He and His disciples were walking through a field and picking grain to eat, and later Jesus healed a man with a withered hand when He was teaching in the Synagogue, both of which happened on the Sabbath which caused quite a stir.
Jesus has quite a message for those who were angered at these works being done on the Sabbath. Jesus declared in Matthew 12:12b “…it is lawful to do what is good on the Sabbath.”He also declared in Luke 6:5 that He, the Son of Man, is Lord of the Sabbath.
What do these declarations tell you about God’s intent for the Sabbath?
After this, we see Jesus choose the twelve apostles; Peter, Andrew, James, and John sons of Zebedee, Philip, and Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alpheus, Simon the zealot, Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who would betray Him.
What about Jesus’s choices in Apostles stands out to you the most?
Personally, I love that there is such a variety of people from a variety of backgrounds. This paints a picture for us that Jesus doesn’t look for perfect people or those who are not seeking Him. He chooses those who are in need of a spiritual doctor, whom only He can be for them.
Luke 6:20-49 is filled with so much wisdom straight from Jesus Himself. Throughout most of Luke 6, Jesus is clarifying who are the blessed ones and who are in danger. He instructs all of us in how to live, treat others, not judge, be generous, love others, do what is good, and to build our lives on Him and Him alone.
His message here is very clear – if you are not building every area of your life on the foundation of Christ alone, it will not last. If we are not living and loving the way He teaches us to both in commands and example then we are not centered on Him.
Are there areas of your life, or relationships you have that are not built on Christ? How can you give that area or relationship to the Lord?
At the end of Luke 6 Jesus asks this question: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say?”
This question really hits home every time I read it, as it should. Reading this passage this week I encourage you to reflect on this question. He asks this right after giving a lot of necessary wisdom and instruction, and scripture is filled with even more godly wisdom and instruction. We can too easily fall into complacency and fall away from Christ’s instruction, and we should constantly strive to identify those areas, repent, and seek His help to remedy the situation, and follow His instruction. We should always be seeking how to obey Him better.
What areas of your life are you not doing what Christ tells you to do?
This week we explore John 5 which begins with the story of Jesus healing a man at the Pool of Bethesda. The Greeks built “healing centers” around natural springs and pools because they believed the pagan god of healing would use the water to heal the sick and disabled.
They built a sort of temple around the “healing center” where the sick would sleep, pray and fast while they waited for what they believed was this pagan god and his serpents to churn the water and release the healing powers. When the natural springs would bubble up, the people would then drink or bathe in the water to experience healing miracles and lay around the pool while it was calm.
When Jesus comes to the Pool of Bethesda, he wasn’t just there to heal this man – Jesus was there to debunk yet another pagan myth and display His divine power and authority. Immediately, though, and the Jewish people there rebuked the healed man for getting up and picking up the mat he’d been sleeping on by the pool, as Jesus had instructed him to do.
It was the Sabbath and Jewish Law had a lot of rules for the Sabbath, which these people believed the healed man was violating. They focused on this man, healed by a divine miracle, breaking the rules rather than seeing the miracle for what it was.
Have there been times you miss the work of God in your life because you are focused on the wrong things? How did this impact you?
Jesus goes on to proclaim Himself the Son of God, which kindled much hatred in the hearts of the people, and also explained that anyone who does not honor Him as the Son of God does not honor God. Jesus boldly proclaims His position and authority, and rebukes and warns those who do not believe Him.
One of the key things that stands out to me is that Jesus knows the heart, thoughts, intentions, words and deeds of everyone. We do not, but He does. He knows the deepest secrets and cervices of our very hearts and minds. We cannot hide anything from Him, and He will reveal all darkness in us.
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How does this knowledge that God knows our very heart and deepest thoughts and intentions help or change you in your relationship with Him?
In John 5:28-29 Jesus gives us an important lesson. We know from all over scripture that only God is good, but here Jesus says “those who have done good things” and “those who have done wicked things”. He goes on to explain that those who have done “good things” are those who have faith in Jesus as the Son of God.
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Those who have faith in Jesus are destined for the resurrection of life, while those who do not believe in Jesus as the Son of God are destined for the resurrection of condemnation. No “good works” are done without faith in Jesus Christ, and Jesus tells us this so that we may believe and be saved, as He explains in John 5:33.
Jesus takes it further and explains that just because someone reads scripture, or says they have faith, that does not mean they have a relationship with God. Only those who have true faith in Jesus are saved and enter a personal relationship with God.
What about this passage resonates with you and why?
This study is part of the Study with Me: Chronological Gospels study series. It is an annual 48-week Bible study designed to encourage readers to follow along all year and dive deeper into the meat of the passages designated each week. I pray that you learn more about your Savior and grow in your relationship with Him through this study series. There is a free printable booklet available for download as well which allows you to print and take notes as you go through this study with me.
This week we will explore Mark 2 where there are quite a few big points to hit on. This chapter opens up with the story of the paralytic man being lowered down into the house Jesus was teaching in. I absolutely love this story as it is a great example of the lengths these people went because their faith was so strong. They did what it took to be in the presence of Jesus and believed that He would heal the man.
As they had faith He would do, Jesus healed the man – but not in the way many onlookers expected. He told the man “your sins are forgiven” rather than telling him that he was healed. Jesus then showed His divinity by acknowledging the thoughts of the crowd and displaying His power and authority.
I appreciate these reminders that Jesus knows our inner thoughts and our very heart and intentions. We cannot keep anything hidden from Him. I find this helpful as it reminds me to keep my mind, thoughts, intentions and heart focused on Him and when I realize I am not, I hear this verse 8 where Jesus asks them “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?” It causes me to evaluate my thoughts and intentions, and to repent and refocus.
What does this passage teach you about Jesus and your relationship with Him?
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When we are convicted, we should be led to repentance. When we repent, this is turning away from sin and turning to righteousness. When we are convicted this is a cause for worship. So often when we realize we have sinned we beat ourselves up and so often that ends up pushing us away from Christ.
I encourage you, though, to take those as opportunities to grow in your faith and come closer to Jesus, not further away. Worship Him with a heart that is grateful for your Savior and the works He is doing in you.
Later we read about Jesus calling on Matthew (Levi) to follow Him, and He was then seen by the Pharisees sitting with and teaching “tax collectors and sinners”. The Pharisees cannot understand this, but Jesus explains to them that sinners are like sick people who need a doctor, and He is the Great Physician.
How does seeing Jesus as your Great Physician change your perspective of Him?
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The goal of spending time with those who are not yet believers of Jesus Christ is to help lead them to His truth and to repentance so that they, too, can accept Him as their personal Savior and come into a personal relationship with Him as well. We should not be selfish with our own salvation but go out and share the truth so that others may share in salvation as well.
What are some things you can do in order to draw people to Jesus?
Another point that has taught me a lot within my own relationship with the Lord is that “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” The Lord commands us to take a day of rest, which is intended to be a day of spiritual rest and refreshment as well as physical rest. Spending that time being replenished with and by the Lord and growing in our relationships with Him.
How can/do you participate in the Sabbath? How has/can this help you in your faith?
This study is part of the Study with Me: Chronological Gospels study series. It is an annual 48-week Bible study designed to encourage readers to follow along all year and dive deeper into the meat of the passages designated each week. I pray that you learn more about your Savior and grow in your relationship with Him through this study series. There is a free printable booklet available for download as well which allows you to print and take notes as you go through this study with me.
In this week’s study, we open up with Jesus’ first sign where He turned water into wine. I love this story in John 2 because His mother, Mary, pleaded with Jesus to help the wedding hosts and Jesus obliged. Jesus’ love for His mother is so beautiful and I love each glimpse we get into their relationship. As a mother myself, I can’t imagine what it would be like to be raising the Begotten Son of God, but I do know the love of a mother for her child and this moment is such a mom moment to me.
I also love that through this first sign it says that His disciples believed in Jesus by this display of His glory. Jesus displayed His glory in helping with the wine, which brought praise on the wedding hosts, but it also revealed Jesus’ glory and led to true belief in Him.
What about this story jumps out at you and why do you think that is?
The next part of the story tells us about a moment where Jesus was angry. This story is an easy one to miss the true message within. Jesus is showing His anger, and yes God does get angry, but remember that we are instructed to be angry and do not sin. Here, Jesus is displaying righteous anger – this is anger caused by the defiling of God’s temple by turning it into a marketplace, a place for profits to be made, versus reserving it with honor as a place of worship.
What is the difference between righteous anger and sinful anger? Why is this important?
Chapter 3 teaches us of the importance of focusing on things of Heaven versus earthly things. Jesus explained to Nicodemus, a Pharisee, that only those born of the Spirit will understand things of Heaven, things of light. Unfortunately, people love the darkness and struggle to enter the light where their sin is revealed.
This is where Jesus says one of the most quoted passages in all of scripture – John 3:16. Don’t miss the next verses, though. Because of the love of God, He sent His only begotten Son so that those who will believe in Jesus will have eternal life – but that’s not all. Jesus came not to condemn, but to save the world through Him. The world is saved through Jesus – through faith in Jesus as the only begotten Son of God.
Those who choose to live in the light will learn the truth, love the truth, live in the truth, and shine the light of Christ wherever they go. We must be lovers of the light and not lovers of the darkness, attempting to live in and conceal our sin. We must repent and believe in the only Son of God to be saved from the penalty of sin and be born again, made alive by God’s Spirit, and receive the promise of eternity with Him.
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What about this passage stands out to you for the very first time?
Through the remainder of John 3 and into John 4 there is a very clear message – all that we have is a gift from God. When we have faith and believe in Jesus, He blesses us immeasurably, and provides rest for our souls. Jesus Christ is the Living Water for the thirsty land of our very soul.
Throughout our lives we are drawn into Jesus by our Heavenly Father. We are given a great thirst that can only be satisfied by Jesus Christ. We all long for Jesus, but so often we are deceived into thinking our longing is for things of this earth instead.
How does this news impact your life today?
Not only is Jesus the Living Water our souls long for, but He is also the Gardener of our souls. He refreshes us, satisfying the thirst of our souls, and then He plants, prunes, and waters us as we grow in our faith and relationship with Him and bear fruit of His Spirit.
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By abiding in Him, we abide in the Vine, and we bear His fruits in this world, planting seeds for the gospel in the lives of others who have not yet discovered that Jesus is what they are longing for. We have been given a great honor to be saved by the grace of God through faith in His Son, and with this we then have another great honor to be used by God for His great purposes.
We see the Samaritan woman go and tell her whole village of her testimony, drawing others to Jesus, and they too came to believe in Him. Testifying to the truth of the gospel, letting the Living Water of Jesus and the fruits of His Holy Spirit plant seeds in the hearts of others through your faithfulness is a vital responsibility and privilege every Christian has.
We are called to be unashamed of the gospel, and we also are taught here that our testimony is meant to be shared with others in order to plant seeds for the gospel and help draw others to Him. We get to participate in God’s great plan, doing the work He has prepared for us to do, and sharing our own testimonies along the way.
Who in your life could you share your testimony with this week?
This study is part of the Study with Me: Chronological Gospels study series. It is an annual 48-week Bible study designed to encourage readers to follow along all year and dive deeper into the meat of the passages designated each week. I pray that you learn more about your Savior and grow in your relationship with Him through this study series. There is a free printable booklet available for download as well which allows you to print and take notes as you go through this study with me.
In this week’s passages we read about the temptation of Jesus. Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness where He fasted and underwent temptations by Satan for 40 days and nights. This story in scripture is incredibly important for all Christians to read as we get to see the Son of God go through temptations and resist as only He can do.
This example of His divine strength should stand as a hope and encouragement to us that Jesus understands what it is like to be tempted, but also, we can trust in His strength to resist our own temptations. By His strength we can endure, persevere, and grow in faith and strength.
What is it about Jesus’ time in the wilderness that sticks out to you the most, and why?
The devil leaves, John the Baptist is arrested, and then Jesus ventures over to Galilee which fulfills the prophecy from Isaiah 9:1-2. In the very beginning of His public ministry Jesus immediately jumped into preaching about repentance.
Nevertheless the gloom will not be upon her who is distressed, As when at first He lightly esteemed The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, And afterward more heavily oppressed her, Bythe way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, In Galilee of the Gentiles. 2 The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined.
Soon after Jesus began His public ministry, He began calling His first disciples to follow Him. We see Andrew go and get his brother Peter, which is a great example to us. Andrew has a habit of going to get others to come and follow Jesus with him. We then see John and James, sons of Zebedee, called to follow Jesus. He then calls on Philip, Nathanael and Matthew to follow Him.
When Jesus calls on Nathanael, Nathanael is stunned that Jesus knows him and understands that Jesus is the Son of God. Nathanael’s faith is also a wonderful example to us of how we are called to respond when we learn about Jesus. We should have faith that He is truly who He says He is, that He is in-fact the Only Begotten Son of God.
What stands out the most to you about Jesus calling on these disciples to follow Him?
The remainder of Luke 5 shows us some of the first miracles Jesus performed in His public ministry. We also see Jesus take time away from the crowds and the disciples to pray alone. For me, this speaks volumes about the need for us to take time to do God’s work, and also to take time to be alone with God. Even Jesus took time to be alone with God. In our culture there are extremes of people being completely anti-social and introverted, and the opposite of feeding off of social interaction. It can be difficult to find balance.
I am also reminded here that there is a time and a place for being with others, for doing the Lord’s word, and for being alone with God. In all of this we also see that no matter where Jesus was, no matter what He was doing or who He was with, He was praying, worshiping, serving, teaching, healing… He was constantly focused on God the Father and His plan.
Are there areas of your life, relationships, or situations where you do not focus on God? How can Jesus’ example in our passages encourage you today?
This study is part of the Study with Me: Chronological Gospels study series. It is an annual 48-week Bible study designed to encourage readers to follow along all year and dive deeper into the meat of the passages designated each week. I pray that you learn more about your Savior and grow in your relationship with Him through this study series. There is a free printable booklet available for download as well which allows you to print and take notes as you go through this study with me.
We begin this week with Matthew 3, Mark 1, and Luke 3. Here we read aboutJohn the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea calling on the people to repent. He declares that the kingdom of heaven is near, and proceeded to baptize people in the Jordan River.
Repentance and baptism are important parts of each person’s faith journey. There are so many different beliefs and various traditions regarding both. This passage makes me stop and prayerfully consider if there are any areas of my life I might be harboring sin, or that I have not yet given over fully to the Lord. In these moments of conviction, I find encouragement in recalling my own baptism and what it means for me.
Is there any sin you have not repented of? Take some time to pray to God, repent, and seek Him today. Pray for a clean heart and a renewed spirit, that you may glorify God.
Personally, I love the story of John the Baptist. He is the first person in the New Testament we see martyred for his faith in Jesus, and he was the one sent ahead of Jesus to prepare the way for Him. This is someone people think is a total lunatic. He was bold and fearlessly stood up for his faith and convictions.
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John also got to baptize Jesus, whom he did not feel worthy to even remove Jesus’ sandals. Yet Jesus was baptized by John, the heavens opened up, and God declared His pleasure for His Son.
What about this moment stands out to you the most, and why?
Luke 3:7-14 stands out to me as a pivotal moment. John rebukes the people, gives them various encouragements, and tells them to produce fruit consistent with repentance.
What does it mean to produce fruits consistent with repentance? Do you see this in your own life?
It is so important for us to remember that John was a human being just like you and me. He had a God-given job to do and faithfully did it even to death. His methods often make our eyebrows go up to our hairlines, but his boldness is a wonderful example for us to stand strong in our beliefs and faith in Jesus no matter what we face.
At the end of Luke 3, we see another account of Jesus’ genealogy. If you are like me, you notice that it is different from that in Matthew 1. I was interested to find out more about this and discovered there are 3 possibilities, but they all seem to tie together into one answer – Luke’s account likely includes Mary’s AND Joseph’s genealogy.
To me, this is one of those moments in scripture where faith takes a front seat. We see 2 very different accounts, but we can rest in the truthfulness and promises of God, and know without a doubt that regardless of the reason for this God’s Word is without error. Just because we may not understand does not make the Bible wrong.
I encourage you to do a little digging of your own regarding the genealogies and make some notes of what you discover. What did you learn after doing so?
This study is part of the Study with Me: Chronological Gospels study series. It is an annual 48-week Bible study designed to encourage readers to follow along all year and dive deeper into the meat of the passages designated each week. I pray that you learn more about your Savior and grow in your relationship with Him through this study series. There is a free printable booklet available for download as well which allows you to print and take notes as you go through this study with me.
We don’t know a lot about Jesus’ life between His birth and Him coming into His ministry, but Matthew 2 touches on some important events during His early life. We see King Herod find out about the birth of the “King of the Jews”, deceive the wise men, and then murder children under the age of 2. God sends a message to Joseph warning him of King Herod’s intent to murder the baby Jesus and instructs him to flee with Mary and Jesus to Nazareth.
This study is part of the Study with Me: Chronological Gospels study series. It is an annual 48-week Bible study designed to encourage readers to follow along all year and dive deeper into the meat of the passages designated each week. I pray that you learn more about your Savior and grow in your relationship with Him through this study series. There is a free printable booklet available for download as well which allows you to print and take notes as you go through this study with me.
Sometimes the way God protects us is by warning us and making a way to flee from danger. He did this with Jesus and He does this with us as well.
Describe a time God gave you a way of escape to protect you from danger. How did this impact you and your faith?
I also find it important to note that Herod believed these prophecies about a coming Messiah, but instead of worshiping Him Herod committed mass murder of infants and toddlers to protect his earthly kingdom and treasures.
What are some other passages of scripture that come to mind here and how do they encourage and convict you?
In Luke 2:39-52 we again see a small bit about Jesus’ early life. We learn that young Jesus becomes strong, wise, and gracious. Fast forward to 12-year-old Jesus. While Joseph and Mary are taking their annual trip to Jerusalem for Passover Jesus decides to stay behind in the temple. Mary and Joseph found Jesus teaching with great authority after they had failed to notice He was missing for several days.
What about this peek into Jesus’ early life stands out to you?
This part of the story always makes me laugh because it shows us an example of Mary and Joseph, mortal people, raising their son, the divine Son of God. This would have had to be an incredible task for them.
Throughout these passages, I love seeing so many examples of how God took care of His Son while He dwelt among us on earth, as well as Mary and Joseph who were raising Him. I also enjoy seeing the ways that Jesus’ childhood was like any other kid’s yet seeing glimpses of His divine nature even as a child. He displays such confidence, which reminds me that as I am also a child of God and am called to be confident in the Lord also.
What does this insight into Jesus’ childhood teach you about who God is?
This week we explore Matthew 1 and Luke 2:1-38 for part two of our Chronological Gospels study. Matthew opens up with the genealogy of Jesus. It seems like most people see lists of names and kind of gloss over it, but I encourage you to truly investigate and absorb the names on this list.
What names in the genealogy of Jesus listed in Matthew 1 stand out to you and why?
I love that Rahab, the prostitute from Joshua 2 and Joshua 6, is part of Jesus’ genealogy. In Joshua, she was an unexpected participant in the story of Jericho. She hid some men of the Lord, saving their lives, and she was spared when the city fell. We then get to see that she was the mother of Boaz, who later married Ruth, which we learn in Ruth 4.
Each of these people is named in the lineage of Jesus Christ. Every name mentioned in scripture is important and intentional. This passage may seem mundane, but I find it incredible to discover ties to other stories of the Old Testament right here in this list of names. We get to learn so much from a seemingly simple list of people, but each served an incredible role in God’s plans to send His Son to earth.
Who else on this list do you recognize from other Bible passages?
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After telling us the lineage of Jesus, we get to read about His birth in Matthew 1:18-25 and again in Luke 2:1-24. This is the fulfillment of the prophecy from Isaiah 7:14 and is a beautiful reminder that God is a promise keeper.
14 Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.[a]
What promises have you seen God keep in your life and how has this helped your faith?
In Luke 2 we learn that God used the census to lead Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem in order to fulfill the prophecy from Micah 5:2. God works all things together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28), and He absolutely uses these details, that so often we see as burdensome or as getting in the way, to lead us where He wants us to go.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Though you are little among the thousands of Judah, Yet out of you shall come forth to Me The One to be Ruler in Israel, Whose goings forth are from of old, From [a]everlasting.”
Explain a time you felt burdened by a situation and later learned God was working in it.
When Mary and Joseph brought Jesus to be presented at the temple, we see beautiful examples from Simeon and Anna. They were led by the Holy Spirit to the knowledge of who Jesus, this little infant in His parent’s arms, truly was. They both not only believed what was revealed to them but proclaimed and praised this wonderful news!
This was the news they waited all their lives, and many generations, for, and here He was in their temple. These people who faithfully waited and prayed for the coming of the Messiah were blessed with being participants in presenting this Holy child to the Lord. They welcomed this opportunity and gave great, bold praise to God.
This study is part of the Study with Me: Chronological Gospels study series. It is an annual 48-week Bible study designed to encourage readers to follow along all year and dive deeper into the meat of the passages designated each week. I pray that you learn more about your Savior and grow in your relationship with Him through this study series. There is a free printable booklet available for download as well which allows you to print and take notes as you go through this study with me.
Today we are diving into Luke 1 and John 1:1-14. There are so many nuggets here and I invite you to read these passages over the next week and join the conversation to study alongside one another.
What are some things you found interesting about the message from Gabriel to Zechariah about the coming birth of John?
One thing I noticed today is that Elizabeth is from the tribe of Aaron, which was the tribe ordained by God to be priests. John the Baptist was of the line of Aaron, which is fitting for the one who would be the prophet born to go before Christ and make the way ready for His coming.
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I also love that even in the womb, John was filled with the Holy Spirit and that it was revealed to Elizabeth also that Mary would bear the Lord and Savior. Throughout this whole chapter, I love seeing Mary and Elizabeth both praising God and being faithful, willing, and obedient to the will of God, to be used in such ways as they were.
Throughout this whole first chapter in Luke, I cannot help but notice the theme of God as a Promise Keeper. Sometimes it can be so difficult to remember not only that God keeps His promises, but that He MAKES promises.
How can remembering that God makes and keeps promises encourage you or someone you know today?
Hopping over to the first bit of John we see John’s account of the birth of John and proclamation of Jesus. Throughout both passages this morning I am drawn to the different names for Jesus we see right off the bat; Son of the Most High, Son of God, the Word, the Light, the Life, the only Son from the Father.
What names of Jesus that we read today stand out to you the most, and mean the most to you?
I also love what John tells us that Jesus, the Word, was with God from the very beginning and that all things were created through Him. Not only was Jesus sent to redeem all of creation, but creation was created through Him as well as redeemed through Him.
What does knowing Jesus the light mean to you?
Jesus is the light, and no darkness can overcome Him. When we believe in Jesus as the Son of God, we have His light in us, we are children of God with Him, and His light cannot be overcome. We should bring His light into the world, and participate in the great and wonderful work of drawing more and more people to God through faith in Jesus Christ.
This study is part of the Study with Me: Chronological Gospels study series. It is an annual 48-week Bible study designed to encourage readers to follow along all year and dive deeper into the meat of the passages designated each week. I pray that you learn more about your Savior and grow in your relationship with Him through this study series. There is a free printable booklet available for download as well which allows you to print and take notes as you go through this study with me.
Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He is our Sovereign Lord of All, the Image of the Invisible God, and the Only Begotten Son of God. The names for Jesus seem endless, just as He himself is endless, the Alpha and Omega, first and last, beginning and end. He is before, during, and after all time. He has no beginning and no end, and because of who Jesus is we can come to Him in faith to be saved. Today we will explore what it means that Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and how this part of His identity is relevant to us.
What does King of Kings and Lord of Lords mean?
It is important to first understand the Biblical definitions of these titles and ranks in order to better understand their application to Jesus Christ. In 1 Timothy 6:15, we see Jesus named as the “blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of Lords“.
15 God will bring this about in his own time. He is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings, and the Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see, to him be honor and eternal power. Amen.
Here, the word used for “King” is basileus (G935) and means “leader of the people, prince, commander, lord of the land, king”, and the word for “kings” (small “k”) is basileuō (G936) which means “to be king, to exercise kingly power, to reign”. As King of kings, Jesus is the leader and commander of world rulers – He rules the rulers, leads the leaders, commands the commanders. He is King (big “K”) over all other rulers.
The word used for Lord here is kyrios (G2962) which means “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has the power of deciding; master, lord;” and in this context is the title specifically given to God as ruler of the universe. Lord (little “l”) is kyrieuō (G2961) means “supreme ruler”, and is also used in relation to dominions of the world, for which Christ is Lord of All. As Lord of lords, Jesus is being identified as the Owner and Master of the universe and everything in it. This use of Lord (big “L”) is another name used to identify God, and here again, is another name by which Jesus is declared to be God.
Jesus Christ is Sovereign above every other ruler to ever exist, them having been made by, through, and for Him, and He is the Creator, Owner, and Master of the entire universe. He is the only Sovereign, the only one who is immortal and eternal, the only one whom all honor is due and power attributed, and the only true Light, the only source of truth and goodness.
Why is Jesus the King of King and Lord of Lords?
Understanding what it means that Jesus is King and Lord, we must also ask why this is so. Why is Jesus the only Sovereign, and the Owner and Master of the entire universe? As with His other names, this particular name or Jesus is a means to identify Jesus again as God Himself. Not only this but God exalted Jesus and gave Him the name above every other name, identifying Jesus as Lord. In short, Jesus is King and Lord because God said so – and because He is God.
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Additionally, in our studies of Jesus as Image of the Invisible God and the Lord of All, we discover that all of creation was made by Jesus’ power and means and that all of creation was also made for His divine purposes. Jesus Christ is also the one through whom God lets His absolute goodness, righteousness, and holiness be seen. As Creator, all He has made belongs to Him. He is the Creator, Master, and Owner of all things and God displays Himself in the person of Jesus Christ.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by[a] him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Because all things were made by His means, through His divinity, and for His purposes, and because the fullness of God is pleased to dwell in Him, Jesus Christ alone is the Ruler of the universe, Owner of all creation, and Master of all. Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords.
19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
What does Jesus do as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords?
As King and Lord, Jesus is our Judge, Lawgiver, and Savior. Goodness, instruction, wisdom, mercy, grace, and salvation come from Him alone. As the Only Sovereign, He is the only one who can save mankind from the penalty of our sins, is the only source of Truth, and is the only one whom we should strive to imitate.
Jesus as Lord and King instructs us in how to live in His plan according to His purposes, and He oversees, plans, leads, guides, provides for us as we walk with Him in faith. He judges all of creation according to His divine wisdom, disciplines disobedience, and blesses faithfulness. He is omniscient (all-knowing), omnipresent (all-present), and omnipotent (all-powerful).
Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth.
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and with justice he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a fiery flame, and many crowns[a] were on his head. He had a name written that no one knows except himself. 13 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. 14 The armies that were in heaven followed him on white horses, wearing pure white linen. 15 A sharp[b] sword came from his mouth, so that he might strike the nations with it. He will rule[c] them with an iron rod. He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God, the Almighty. 16 And he has a name written on his robe and on his thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
He discerns, calls, heals, transforms, and works in all of His creation. He works all things together for the good of those who love Him and who He calls for His purposes – He orchestrates His plans throughout all of time for the good of those who are faithful to Him and whom He gives the privilege of participating in His divine plans.
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[a] for those who are called according to his purpose.
What is the importance of teaching about the King of King and Lord of Lords?
As King and Lord, Jesus Christ works all things together for those who are faithful to Him as their Savior and seek to do His will. It is important not only to understand this ourselves but also to share this life-and-eternity-changing truth. For those who He calls according to His purpose, He gives a commission – to go into all the world and proclaim the gospel.
15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. 16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
We are to pay careful attention, to be obedient to His will and Word, and in so doing we should be living examples of the truth of His gospel and share His truth. When we are faithful to His instruction we are participants of His great plan, doing the work He has prepared in advance for us to do in order to grow the Kingdom of God and help lead others to the only Sovereign, the only Savior, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
We should teach others of our love for Christ and His truth. When we truly love God, we obey Him. When we are truly obeying Him in love, we are intentionally growing in our knowledge and understanding of Him through His Word, and growing in relationship with Him through earnest prayer and obedience. When we are obedient out of love, we are filled, and we bear the fruits of our faithfulness to the Lord. We will abide in Him and Him in us, learning to live in the ways He instructs us to and applying what we learn to do the will of the Lord. When we truly love the Lord, that love is reflected in the way we live.
23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.
3 And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
We should love the Lord so much – love His wisdom, truth, salvation so much – that we cannot help but share it and do the work He has given us, to grow in our own faith and relationship with Him, and to draw others closer to Him so they, too, can share in the eternal inheritance and blessings we have been promised. We should not neglect or be selfish with the gospel of our salvation, the truth of our King and Lord, but instead, love God and love people so much His truth pours out of us as evidence of our faith and a testimony to the world of the goodness, grace, and glory of the Master of the universe.
When we understand who Christ is as Lord and King, we begin to better understand that to love your neighbor as yourself is to desire others to share in the salvation you have accepted from the Master of the universe. Love comes from the Lord, and when we truly love Him we are filled with His love and we pour out His love onto others. We display His love to others because we are so filled with love for and from Him. Through His love we draw others to Him, and play a vital role in His redemptive plan, preparing for His return.
37 He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.[a] 38 This is the greatest and most important[b] command. 39 The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.[c]
How are you teaching others of the love and Truth of the King of kings and Lord of lords? How are you participating in the great commission we have all been given? What are some ways you can testify of the Lord this week? I encourage you to pray for opportunities to be used by the Lord and to be rightly aligned with Him to be flowing over with His love. Let us know how we can be praying for you and the work God has prepared for you to do for His great plan.
Have you accepted the grace of God?
If you have not accepted the grace of God and chosen to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to pray to God now and invite Him in, accept Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins, and repent of your sins. Submit it all to God, lay it at His feet, seek the forgiveness of God, welcome Him into your life, and believe that Jesus died and rose again to save you from your sins.
If you would like to learn more about salvation, you can find a couple of studies that may help here:
After diving into Jesus as the Alpha and the Omega, this week we dive deeper into this name by exploring what it has to do with Jesus as Almighty. This is yet again another name God uses to identify Himself that Jesus then uses to identify Himself and to acknowledge His divinity. As we explore Jesus as Almighty, we will also discover some confirmation of attributes we learn from some of His other names.
What does Almighty mean?
Looking back at the original Greek the word used for Almighty in Revelation 1:8 is pantokratōr (G3841). It means “he who holds sway over all things; the ruler of all; almighty: God”. Another way this word is translated is omnipotence, which speaks of God as all-powerful, and thus speaks of Jesus the same way.
8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
When we explored omnipotence previously we learned that Jesus is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. Jesus claiming the name of Almighty further confirms that He is in all of time and outside of time, He is all-knowing, and He is all-powerful. He is God, and holds the same divinity as God.
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
28 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
16 For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him.
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace[a] with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have also obtained access through him by faith[b] into this grace in which we stand, and we boast[c] in the hope of the glory of God.
2 Do not be conformed to this world,[a] but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.[b]
When we are justified by faith, we are then given God’s Holy Spirit who sanctifies us, making us more like Jesus, the Image of the Invisible God, and leading us to live in a manner worthy of Him. Once we have faith in Jesus as our Savior, we allow Him to transform us to become different and be made holy for Him. As we are made holy for Him, we begin to bear the fruits of His Spirit, grow in the knowledge of the Lord, and are strengthened by and in His Almighty power.
9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks[a] to the Father, who has qualified you[b] to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.
Living a life worthy of the Almighty leads to freedom from the bondage of sin, and allows the Almighty power of Christ to work in and through us to strengthen us against sin and temptation as only the Almighty can do. Those who strive for righteous living will seek the Kingdom of God first and one day inherit the Kingdom of God. Being set apart allows God to work in us, and to prepare us for eternity with Him.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Those who remain in their sin and neglect to have faith in the Almighty will focus on, seek, and conform to things of the world and inherit their reward from the world that perishes. Only those with faith in the Almighty will be saved and receive their promised Kingdom rewards.
9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous[a] will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality,[b] 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
We are called to not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, but to focus on and build deep, personal relationships with the Almighty, first and foremost, as well as other believers. We are to be in the world but not of the world, meaning we are here to serve and glorify the Almighty rather than live for earthly passions, desires, and purposes.
19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own. However, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of it, the world hates you.
Each believer is a dwelling place for the Lord – we should share His gospel and display His love to all the world, in the ways and works He has prepared and called for us to do, but we are to do so in a way that places the Almighty in His rightful place and priority in our lives. When we have faith in Jesus and strive to live worthy of Him we are sons and daughters of God and brothers and sisters of and coheirs with Jesus.
14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial?[a] Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,
“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.”
4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
As sons and daughters of God, He dwells in each of us and we should seek to bring the Almighty due glory and honor, and remember that those of the world do not live as we are called to. Nonbelievers are not held to the same standard we as believers are to be held, and are still bound by their sin. As Christ is Almighty, He is all-powerful and His power can break any bonds. His grace abounds and His power is all-encompassing. He has complete and total power and authority over all of creation, from the beginning to the end and on through eternity.
11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.
We are all fighting the same enemy and should use the gifts and tools the Almighty equips us with to combat this enemy and share this truth with those who have not yet accepted Christ in faith. We should grow closer to Him, learn from scripture, and pray for unbelievers that they too may come to know and have faith in Him, that they may be set free of the bondage to sin and experience the Almighty power of Jesus Christ for themselves.
Glory for the Almighty
Being in a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father through faith in Jesus, recognizing His divinity and authority as the Almighty, we should live in a state of worship and gratitude, seeking to learn more of Him, His ways, and the ways He wants us to live our lives. We should live in such a way that brings the Almighty glory and draws unbelievers to the truth, love, and glory of God.
23 By myself I have sworn; truth has gone from my mouth, a word that will not be revoked: Every knee will bow to me, every tongue will swear allegiance.
9 For this reason God highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow— in heaven and on earth and under the earth— 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
One day, everyone will recognize that Jesus Christ is the Almighty. He is the beginning and end, the first and last, the Alpha and the Omega, and one day every knee will bow and tongue confess that He is, in fact, Lord, that He is, in fact, the Almighty, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent God. As He reveals Himself to all of creation, all of creation will eventually acknowledge Him as Soverign.
4 Lord, who will not fear and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All the nations will come and worship before you because your righteous acts have been revealed.
6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,
“Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns.
How can you share the truth, love, and glory of the Almighty with the people in your life? Share your testimony, stand firm in your faith, build habits and live in a manner that is set apart for the Lord and His glory. Pray for nonbelievers, and strive to obey the Lord and resist the tactics of the enemy. Tell us how we can pray for you, as well as who in your life we can lift up and pray for them to accept Jesus Christ in faith also.
Have you accepted the grace of God?
If you have not accepted the grace of God and chosen to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to pray to God now and invite Him in, accept Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins, and repent of your sins. Submit it all to God, lay it at His feet, seek the forgiveness of God, welcome Him into your life, and believe that Jesus died and rose again to save you from your sins.
If you would like to learn more about salvation, you can find a couple of studies that may help here:
Jesus has many names and each tells us more about Him. By learning the many names of Jesus we can get to know Him more personally and develop a better understanding of who He is. Some of His names speak of Him as the Son of God, some as the Son of Man, others as Savior, and plenty more that relate to Jesus as the Truth. Over the next two weeks, we will explore two closely related names that teach us about Jesus as the Alpha and Omega and speaks of His absolute divinity and relation to, with, and of God the Father.
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
In Isaiah, we see God identify Himself as the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end – just like Jesus does in Revelation to the apostle John. This is not a mistake – this is Jesus clarifying once again that He is God. He is emphasizing His divinity, authority, and control over all of creation.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “the one who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Jesus Christ is the Alpha.Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, signifying that He is first, He is the beginning, was there at the beginning, and is the beginning of salvation as well. Through, by, and for Him, all things begin and exist. He is superior to all creation making Him first in rank, firstborn of all creation, and first in priority throughout all of creation. We are instructed as believers to put Him first in all we do and to place Him in the right place of priority in every area and relationship of our lives. Jesus Christ is before and above all of creation, always.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
As Jesus is the Alpha, the first, the beginning, He is also the Omega, the last, the end. Omega happens to be the last letter of the Greek alphabet, signifying that He is not only the beginning, but He is the end and the last. All created things were made through, by, and for Him, and all ends will also be determined by Him and occur through Him for His glory.
16 “For God so loved the world,[a] that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Jesus Christ’s life, death, and resurrection are how God chose to put an end to the Old Testament Law, evolving it into the new beginning of redemption through faith in Jesus. He was the end of the Law and the beginning of grace. He is also the last, final, end step in our salvation – He is enough. Faith in His saving works is what saves us – nothing else, nothing more, nothing less.
I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you[a] will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self,[a] which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Through Him, we experience the end of our old selves and the beginning of our new life in Him. He is the Finisher and Perfector of our faith – He completes the works of faith in us, drawing us to the end of this life into the beginning of eternity with Him. Through Him, the first heaven and earth will end, and the new heaven and earth will begin. Nothing begins or ends that is not from, for, and through Jesus Christ.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, and see, the new has[a] come!
Then he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will freely give to the thirsty from the spring of the water of life.
God’s redemptive story is completed through Jesus, the Only Begotten Son of God, Lord of All. Matthew 25:31-46 explains clearly that faith or unbelief in Jesus will determine each of our own ends as well; faith leading to eternal life with Him with an end to sin and suffering, and unbelief leading to eternal fire and separation from Him and all that is good.
41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
We are all called to choose Jesus. We are all drawn to Him by the Father, and through faith in Jesus, we get to come to the Father, being made right in His sight through the blood of His Son. Jesus was the spotless lamb, the perfect sacrifice, and He died to save each and every single one of us from the penalty of our sins by paying our hefty debts with His own life.
16 For God loved the world in this way:[a] He gave[b] his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,[a] in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
By choosing to believe in Jesus as the Son of God who died and rose again as the perfect sacrifice to pay for your sin debt, you are justified, made right with God, and are welcomed into the family of God as fellow siblings with Christ. Today I pray you choose faith in Jesus, and let Him lead you in a life of love and obedience to the Father as He draws you closer to the end that is coming.
Dear Jesus, please move mountains in the hearts of each person reading this today. I pray that each person here right now who does not yet know You as their personal Lord and Savior draws closer to You today in faith, seeks Your face, asks You to come into their life today, and accepts You as their personal Savior. Lord, I pray that you soften hearts to You today and that glory is brought to Your precious name. Amen
Have you accepted the grace of God?
If you have not accepted the grace of God and chosen to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to pray to God now and invite Him in, accept Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins, and repent of your sins. Submit it all to God, lay it at His feet, seek the forgiveness of God, welcome Him into your life, and believe that Jesus died and rose again to save you from your sins.
If you would like to learn more about salvation, you can find a couple of studies that may help here:
What does it mean that Jesus claims the name “I Am”? If we swing back to Exodus 3, we see the story of God revealing Himself to Moses in the burning bush. Moses is instructed to go to the Israelites and tell them God has sent him to free them. Moses wants to know who he should say sent him and God says to tell them “I AM has sent me to you.”
14 God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.[e] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.”
God identified Himself to Moses as I AM and told Moses to tell the Israelites this name for Himself. In John 8:58 where Jesus claims the name “I AM”, Jesus is claiming this exact same name. This very clearly communicates to the Jewish people, who would know Moses’s story intimately and therefore the significance of this name, that Jesus was claiming to be God, and was claiming the Godhead – the same God that was with Moses, who led the Israelites out of Egypt and through the wilderness, and whom these people claimed to serve and worship.
Jesus is telling the people that He is God Himself, and by this, He is revealing a few other key aspects of Himself. Jesus reveals His omnipresence, omnipotence, and omniscience.
20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world,[a] in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Omnipresence means that God is everywhere, and everywhen. God is outside of time, yet within all of time at the same time, all at once. He is before all things, in the midst of all things, and after all things. He is the beginning and the end. Therefore, the same is true of Jesus as the Son of God whom all things were created through, by, and for.
16 For by[a] him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
Through the omnipresence of God, He knows the whole beginning and end of every person’s life. He knows the beginning and end of the story of mankind and all of creation. He is our Creator, and He is our Great High Priest. He knows what is ahead for each of us, prepares works ahead for us, makes the way for each of us to come to Him, revealing Himself to all of His creation through all of time.
13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”
19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
In claiming to be I AM, Jesus claims this attribute of God and acknowledges that He is the same God who was with Moses at the burning bush, with the Israelites through the wilderness, and is there with them right then. He is outside of time, outside of age, outside of our understanding, and remains so today and into eternity.
Omniscience of I AM
He also reveals His omniscience, which is God’s all-knowing power. The omniscience of God means that He knows all things. As He is outside of time yet existing within all of time, He also knows all of time and all things existing inside and outside of time.
42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and I am here. For I didn’t come on my own, but he sent me. 43 Why don’t you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to[a] my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he tells a lie, he speaks from his own nature,[b] because he is a liar and the father of lies.
Jesus reveals that He holds the omniscience of God by revealing the true heart of the people who were questioning Him. In John 8:30-47 Jesus reveals that though these Jews were appearing to serve God, and even doing so in God’s name, Jesus knew the conditions of their hearts and their true motives. He proclaimed that they were in fact children of the devil and not children of God. Only God could have known this, and Jesus was putting this on display.
10 I, the Lord, examine the mind, I test the heart[a] to give to each according to his way, according to what his actions deserve.
12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
He, being outside of time, prepares ahead of us the works He has for us to do, revealing Himself to us, knowing what will draw us to Him and what will push us away, and all the time giving us the free will to make that choice.
As Jesus shows that He holds the same omniscience and omnipresence of God Himself, He also displays the omnipotence of God, which is God’s unlimited power and ability to do anything. Jesus reveals this all throughout the New Testament as He performs miracles and wonders, as He resists temptation and sin, as He fulfills the will of God by living a perfect life, going to die on the cross, and by rising from the dead. Here we see a glimpse of His omnipotence in John 8:58-59.
58 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.”
59 So they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden[a] and went out of the temple.[b]
Here at the very end of John 8, Jesus tells them again that He is I AM, and then before they can stone Him for blasphemy He veils Himself. He does this several times in scripture, and personally, it gets me every time. He discreetly displays His power in that He can hide in an instant as He deems fit. Here He knew the people’s hearts were hardened, had just called them out, and knew they would not believe the truth He was revealing to them because they did not really know God and therefore could not believe His truth. Instead of continuing to argue, or letting them stone Him, He simply hid Himself and walked away.
13 Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy. 14 Blessed is the one who fears the Lord[a] always, but whoever hardens his heart will fall into calamity.
Those who seek Him will find Him. Those who reject Him will harden their hearts against Him and be unable to know the truth. Jesus proclaims this lesson and hides Himself from those who refuse and reject His divinity and deity. Those who seek Him will find Him, and those who accept Him in faith will be saved by the grace of God. God’s Holy Spirit will then be with those who believe in Jesus as the Great I AM, through the end of time.
18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Because Jesus is I AM, He has the omnipotence of God. Because we who believe are in Christ and Christ in us, we can do all things through Him by His strength. He gives us His strength to endure and persevere in this world, to resist sin and temptation, and to run this race we’ve been called to.
Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every hindrance and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, 2 keeping our eyes on Jesus,[a] the pioneer and perfecter[b] of our faith. For the joy that lay before him,[c] he endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
It is up to us whether we trust in His omnipotence, His almighty power, His great strength that is greater than anything we could ever imagine, or whether we will trust in our own feeble (lack of) strength, which can do nothing. It is only through Christ we can persevere, and it is Him who is the victor on our behalf.
13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Jesus proclaims 5 absolute I AM statements. He uses a few metaphorical I AM statements as well, but these absolute I AM statements should be considered here. Each of these statements uses the same phrase for I AM as was used in Exodus 3:14 when God identified Himself to Moses.
20 But he said to them, “It is I.[a] Don’t be afraid.”
28 So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own. But just as the Father taught me, I say these things.
What do these absolute I AM statements reveal to us about Jesus?
I AM God – do not be afraid.
If you do not believe Jesus is I AM, you will die in your sins.
I AM the Son of Man and I AM God.
I AM Jesus of Nazareth and I AM God.
I AM the God of Moses and Abraham.
Jesus reveals in these statements over and over that He is God, He is the same God as was with Moses and Abraham. He is Jesus of Nazareth and God all at once, being the Son of Man, the Son of God, Image of the Invisible God. In this, we learn that we do not need to fear Him who is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-present but that we can come to Him and be saved. If we reject Him, reject who He has revealed Himself to be, we will die in our sins.
Have you accepted the grace of God?
If you have not accepted the grace of God and chosen to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I encourage you to pray to God now and invite Him in, accept Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins, and repent of your sins. Submit it all to God, lay it at His feet, seek the forgiveness of God, welcome Him into your life, and believe that Jesus died and rose again to save you from your sins.
If you would like to learn more about salvation, you can find a couple of studies that may help here:
I am a wife, mom, writer, crafter, and above all, a Child of God. I love to study the Bible, fellowship with other Christians, and serve God. I am thrilled to invite you to join me in seeking to satisfy our thirsty souls with the Living Water of Christ, which is what Water On Thirsty Land is here to do.
