As we looked at the Christmas story we saw that the Holy Spirit is the One who Fathered Jesus, making Him the Father. So we have to question the idea that the Father and the Holy Spirit are two separate entities. I fathered three children, that doesn't make me two people. If the Holy Spirit is not the Father, then who is the Father. So of course the Holy Spirit is the Father. God is a Spirit. God of course is Holy. "God became flesh and dwelt among us." Does that mean that God was no longer a Spirit? Of course not. God at the time when Jesus was walking upon the earth was existing as both Spirit and the man Jesus. My last blog I made the statement that Jesus was a 100% God and He was. The substance that fertilized the egg in Mary was the 100% essence of the Holy Spirit. You can look at it as Gods very own DNA if He had a DNA. Jesus became the 100% extension of the Holy Spirit as a man. At this time the Holy Spirit was existing as the Spirit and man. The Holy Spirit was both Father and Son. We as humans want to put this on our level and look at it as we would our own sons. We father our sons and we know that they are not us but they are separate beings. The difference is that the seed that we fertilized the egg with was not us, but a seed with a totally different make up than ours. Plus our seed gives birth to a child with a sin nature because we all come from the seed of the Adam. Jesus didn't, He came into the world from the seed of God Himself. Therefore, He existed as the sinless man. The only man ever to be born into this world not having a sin nature. This is how God Himself would become the perfect and flawless Lamb that would be sacrificed for the forgiveness of the sin of man. Jesus would be the Savior of the world for all who would call upon His name.
To understand this Savior and see the correlation between God as Savior and Jesus as Savior, we will look at scripture from both the Old testament and the New testament that will either show this as being the truth or one is a lie. We continue with the Christmas story and this time we will look at what was stated at the birth of Jesus that will bring forth the statement that will later show that Jesus is God.
We saw in the words of the prophet Isaiah that the child Immanuel would be born to the house of David and that the son born, who will be called Eternal Father, will govern on the throne of David forever. As we see that Mary and Joseph had to travel to their city of birth for a censes, they returned home to Bethlehem. Bethlehem was the city that David had been born in. As we continue the Christmas story as written by Luke, we see this in Luke's gospel in the 2nd Chapter, verses 7-14;
"(7) And she (Mary) gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths,
and laid Him in a manger (feeding trough), because there was no room at the inn."
Just a little side note while we are reading this. There are two things here that are very profound. The first is the fact that Jesus was born in an animal stable. Most people wonder why the Son of God would be born in a stable instead of a place with a more comforting and clean environment. The answer is easy. Where could their be a more perfect place for the Lamb of God to be born than an animal stable. The next thing to notice is that the Child is laid in a feeding trough. If is perfect because Jesus later told His disciples this, as recorded in the gospel of John in his 6th Chapter, in verses 53- 58;
"(53) Jesus therefore said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh
of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.(54) He who
eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last
day.(55) For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink.(56) He who eats my
flesh and drinks my blood abides in Me, and I in him.(57) As the living Father sent
Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also shall live because of
Me.(58) This is the true bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate,
and died, he who eats this bread will never die.'"
The bread that the fathers ate was the manna that came down out of heaven as the Israelites wandered through the desert for the forty years. That manna was a shadow of the Living Bread that would come out of heaven and be the food for eternal life. Many of Jesus followers at that time fell away from Him because they thought that He was actually talking about His own body. So Jesus had to tell those who remained this in John's 6th Chapter, verses 61-63;
"(61) But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, 'Does
this cause you to stumble?(62) What then if you should behold the Son of Man
ascending where He was before?(63) It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh prophets
nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.'"
Remember, that when Jesus was in the wilderness fasting for forty days, Satan tempted Jesus with food and Jesus told him, " Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God." So the Word (God)became flesh (Jesus) and what Jesus was telling them is that the words that proceed from His mouth and the things that He had spoken and will speak, is real food.
He was telling them that His words are spirit and give life. Jesus words are the food for the spiritual man, the New Creation, that come into existence through His death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus' words give life to those who are dead in their sin. This comes by receiving the words of truth that lead to eternal life. At the last supper and Passover Feast, Jesus told His disciples that the bread that He was breaking was His body that will broken for them. He told them to do that in remembrance of Him and what he did for them, to be their Savior. Then Jesus poured the wine and told them that the cup represents His blood that is poured out for them to establish a new covenant. The new covenant that will be established for all, through the pouring out of God's very own blood, for the forgiveness of the sins of all who would call on Jesus to be their Savior. Jesus shed blood is the very blood that will defeat death. This will cause death to have to Passover those who choose Jesus which allows them to have eternal life
I hope you enjoyed that side note. I write where Jesus takes me. Now , getting back to the Christmas story in Luke. We see this back in Chapter 2, starting in verse 8;
"(8) And in the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields,
and keeping watch over their flocks by night.(9) And the angel of the Lord suddenly
stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were
terribly frightened.(10) And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I
bring you good news of a great joy which shall be for all the people;(11) for today
in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
(12) And this will be a sign for you; you will find a baby wrapped in cloths, and
lying in a manger."(13) And suddenly there appeared with the angels a multitude
of the heavenly hosts praising God, and saying,(14) "Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."
Notice it does not say "peace on earth". This is one of the most misquoted scriptures in the who Bible and that being for Satan's future deception. It says, " peace among men with whom He is pleased". There is only one way to please God and that is to receive what He did in Jesus to be your Savior. Then Jesus becomes you Prince of Peace.
You also see in this passage, that what is born, is a Savior and the Lord. This is what we will look at in Isaiah's writings that will show us that Jesus is the Only God. These are the words that God declared in the Old Testament before Jesus was born. We will look at some verses I Isaiah's 43th Chapter;
"(3) For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior."
The God of Israel is declaring that is He the Lord and Savior. If there is only one Lord and One Savior, then God is foretelling what He will do as Jesus.
"(11) I, even I, am the Lord; and there is no savior besides Me.(12) It is I who
declared and saved and proclaimed, and there is no strange god among you; so you
are my witnesses, declares the Lord , and I am God. (13) even from eternity I am He;
And there is none who can deliver out of My hand; I act and who can reverse it?"
If this is the only Savior then how can Jesus be the Savior unless they are the same.
"(15) I am the Lord, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.
In Revelations, Jesus is the King of Kings. If this God is not foretelling what He would do as Jesus, then how could Jesus be King over this King.
"(25) I, even I, am the one who wipes out your transgressions for My own sake; and
I will not remember your sins."
God is foretelling what He would do as Jesus when He sheds His own blood..
This was big bite because Jesus lead were I was not intending on going. So we will digest this and continue in my next blog.
Jesus' grace, peace and understanding be with you.
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