Christmas

THE NAME JESUS

December 16, 2020 // by Norman Drummond// Leave a Comment

The name of Jesus. What can we say about His name? As we celebrate Christmas, His name should be spoken in every family time, in every conversation about Christmas, and in every place where we go. Speak His name! Say it and let His name be lifted up, and glorified.

For a Child will be born to us, a Son will be given to us. And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a son, and shall call His name Jesus. Luke 1:31

Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord command him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son, and he called His name Jesus. Matthew 1:24-25

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:16-17

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29

Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name, John 1:12

but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that by believing you may have life in His name. John 20:31

This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. 1 John 3:23

All the prophets testify of Him, that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins. Acts 10:43

Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God. 1 Corinthians 6:11

Whatever you do in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father. Colossians 3:17

For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst. Matthew 18:20

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11

Merry Christmas!

GOD’S DESIGN, GOD’S PLAN

December 2, 2020 // by Norman Drummond// Leave a Comment

An amazing truth in scripture about our God is His plan, design, order, and timing. Yes, there are other amazing things about God. But, as I look at the story of Christmas, I am awed by this about God. Matthew’s gospel begins with a genealogy that connects Jesus to the lineage of David. And then, in verse 17, he writes, “So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are fourteen generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are fourteen generations.” There have been a few explanations as to why this symmetry was important to Matthew. One suggestion was that the numerical values of the Hebrew consonants in the word David add up to fourteen. Others have noted the importance of the number seven in the Bible suggests that three generations consisting of twice seven, totaling six sevens may mean something.

The one thing we can see in these numbers is symmetry, design, plan, order and timing. Our Bible, consisting of 66 books by various judges, prophets, kings, fishermen, and tax collectors, written through the ages, reveals a God with a plan and design involving timing and order. Life and our world is moving along a designated route toward the goal of God.

Before the birth of Jesus, there was a priest named Zacharias who became the father of John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Christ. As Zacharias began to witness the fulfillment of God’s plan to send the Messiah, filled with the Holy Spirit he spoke, “Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David, as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who have been since the world began, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us, to perform the mercy promised our fathers and to remember His holy covenant.” Luke 1:67-72)

Jesus coming into the world did not enter by accident, as a reaction to world events, or as a secondary plan of God. He comes to us by the plan, design order and timing of our amazing God. Paul speaks of the “the gospel according to the power of God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.” (2 Timothy 1:9). Before time began! Scripture declares, “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” (Galatians 4:4-5).

God has not brought us to this point in history only to abandon His work, plan, and timing. We have come this far by faith, and we will continue to trust in His work, plan, order, and timing. Christmas is a time to look back at what He has done, while looking at the present at what He is doing and anticipating what is coming. In God’s good timing, Jesus is coming again.