THE GOSPEL: Jesus First Sermon!

Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time. Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. (Luke 4:13-15)

Now when Jesus heard that John [who baptized Him] had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali,  that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying:

“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
By the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles:
The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light,
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death
Light has dawned.”[Isaiah 9:1-2] (Matthew 4:12-16)

This prophecy was given by God through Isaiah nearly 700 years before Christ was born, and it was fulfilled exactly as He said. Jesus is in the exact place God said he would be and teaching the Truth to the people, taking them out of spiritual "darkness" into spiritual "light", because Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

What was His message, that brought such "light"? From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:14-15) Well, isn't that a simple message, or it is? The LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all. (Psalms 103:19) For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all. (I Chronicles 29:11) And there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Reveleations 11:15) See, Satan has been given some power in this world by God (see THE GOSPEL: Jesus Baptized, then Tempted).  He is ...the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves... (Ephesians 2:2-3) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (Ephesians 6:12)

But thanks be to God, through Christ Jesus first we are ...a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. (II Corinthians 5:17) And then one day there will be ...a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. (Revelations 21:1) We have to live in this world and deal with all the good and the bad, but our hope is not in this world.  We are ...sojourners and pilgrims, (I Peter 2:11) For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. (Romans 8:24-25) Our hope rests in what God promised and Christ fulfilled, that one day, just as Christ prayed on our behalf, “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world. (John 17:24) That Day will come, for all of us who believe; “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

The message may appear to be simple, but it serves as an example to all of us.  Jesus didn't come trying to make people like Him; nor did He come asking people what they thought, felt or believed.  He stated the facts, simple and plain, and If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Mark 7:16)  We can't make anyone believe the Word of God, Jesus couldn't and nor can we!  Our job is to simple tell the Truth, and He [who believes] must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong. (Titus 1:9 NLT) For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:17-18) Therefore,  ...I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes... (Romans 1:16)

THE GOSPEL: Jesus Bapized, then Tempted!

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!  This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” (John 1:29-31)

Before Jesus started His ministry, He came to John to be baptised. Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.  And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. (Matthew 3:13-15) Let this be a lesson to all of us.  When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, ...you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit... (Acts 1:5) Why do we need to be baptised with the Holy Spirit? ...you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me [Christ]... (Acts 1:9, Matthew 28:16-20)  For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. (I John 5:4-8) There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. (Ephesians 4:4-6)

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) And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” (John 1:32:34)  We should also be baptised with water, as an outward showing of the spiritual change that has taken place in us: Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; (Acts 2:37-39, 41)

Right after Jesus was baptised, He went into the wilderness and was tempted by Satan: Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, being tempted for forty days by the devil. And . And the devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” But Jesus answered him, saying, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ [Deuteronomy 8:3]” Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me [Ephesians 2:2, 6:12], and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ [Deuteronomy 6:13]”Then he brought Him to Jerusalem, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here. For it is written:

‘He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you,’

and,

‘In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.’[Psalm 91:11-12]"

And Jesus answered and said to him, “It has been said, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’[Deuteronomy 6:16] " Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time. (Luke 4:1-13; Matthew 4:1-11)

There are three key things we learn from Christ's experience in the wilderness: 1. the Holy Spirit empowers us to overcome fleshly desires - in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’; 2. the Holy Spirit empowers us to overcome temptation - ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’; and 3. the Holy Spirit empowers us to see things for what they really are - ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’.  As long as we're unsaved, Satan doesn't really bother us because He already has us.  But once we become a Christian, then he goes on the attack, ...because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (I Peter 5:8) We learn this from Job: Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan also came among them. And the Lord said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the Lord and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth on it.” Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord. (Job 1:6-12)

Then Job answered the Lord and said: “I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You. You asked, ‘Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, Things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. Listen, please, and let me speak; You said, ‘I will question you, and you shall answer Me.’ “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You. Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.” And the Lord restored Job’s losses... Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Now the Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning; (Job 42:1-6, 10, 12) Just as Christ did, Job did and we can also, we can overcome anything the devil thows at us, through our faith in God and His Son, and through the power of the Holy Spirit in us.  Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you! (James 4:7)

THE GOSPEL: John & John Teach The Truth!

In the beginning was the Word [God said..., Genesis 1], and the Word was with God [Let Us... Genesis 1:26], and the Word was [Lord] God [Genesis 2:4].  He was in the beginning with God [Genesis 1:26].  All things were made through Him [Genesis 2], and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life [Genesis 2:7], and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5)

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.  He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:6-13)

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’” And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.  For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.  No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him. (John 1:14-18)

In Christ's Childhoold: The "Missing Years", we learned about Christ's birth being proclaimed by God in prophecy, then to Mary and Joseph by the angel Gabriel, His early childhood years, and now we go into the beginning of His ministry.  The Apostle John explains just how special Christ Jesus is.  He's not just a man or a prophet (John 7:40), but He is the Word of God in the flesh, Lord God from the beginning of creation, the Only Begotten Son of God! In THE GOSPEL: John the Baptiser, we also learn that God sends this other John to start preparing the people to receive this new covenant, this new form of forgiveness, For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.  (Luke 3:1-3, 3:1-20) Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him  and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.  And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matthew 3:5-10) Now this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you, that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said: “I am

‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
“Make straight the way of the Lord,”’ [Isaiah 40:3]

as the prophet Isaiah said.” Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, saying, “I baptize with water [unto repentance], but there stands One among you whom you do not know. It is He who, coming after me, is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.” (John 1:5-27, Matthew 3:11-12) We must remember that the Jewish religious leaders were steeped in Jewish tradition and centuries of trying to live by the "letter of the law".  For John to come teaching that just because they are descendants of Abraham doesn't make them right with God, but that they all would have to be baptized with the Holy Spirit by Christ Jesus, what?

John went on to explain to the people how they needed to repent not just from their sins, but also repent from treating eachother unfairly: So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?” He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.” Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do?” So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.” (Luke 3:10-14) Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12) In other words, "treat others the way you want to be treated"!

Not everyone received and accepted this teaching from John, especially not the Jewish religious leaders, nor the Jewish captors, the Roman leaders: But Herod the tetrarch, being rebuked by him [John] concerning Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, also added this, above all, that he shut John up in prison. (Luke 3:19-20)  Not everyone will believe the Word of God, not even people who may have been exposed to it all their lives, like the Phaisees and Sadducees; but even if we appear to the world as being in the wilderness and appearing crazy like John, clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey, we are still to be brave and bold just like John and tell others the Truth, the gospel of Christ Jesus, Who is the salvation of God. (Luke 3:6) As God said to Ezekiel, “And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words,... You shall speak My words to them, whether they hear or whether they refuse, for they are rebellious. But you, son of man, hear what I say to you. Do not be rebellious like that rebellious house; open your mouth and eat what I give you.” (Ezekiel 2:6-7) Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! (Psalm 34:8)

THE GOSPEL: John The Baptiser!

The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the Prophets:

“Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.” [Malachi 3:1]

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’” [Isaiah 40:3]

John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.  And he preached, saying, “There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” (Mark 1:1-8)

The first four books of the New Testament are the gospel, The Words of Christ Jesus regarding the kingdom of God.  God prophecied and all the scripture speaks of the coming of a Messiah, but what was He coming to do?  That's what we will study in detail from the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John simultaneously.  But before His coming, God spoke of The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’ He was speaking about John the Baptist (or the Baptiser). Who is this John?  The Apostle Luke goes into great detail.

Luke starts off his gospel writing by validating the gospel and all that is written concerning Christ Jesus.  Many people have set out to write accounts about the events that have been fulfilled among us. They used the eyewitness reports circulating among us from the early disciples. Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught. (Luke 1:1-4 NLT) Theophilus was an actual person, a Patriarch of Antioch.  Luke is very careful throughout his book to give very specific details, that to this day can be traced and found to be accurate.  He records real historical people's names, real places and events, therefore his and all the gospel books accounts of Christ Jesus can be believed as accurate also.  Besides, knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (II Peter 1:20-21)

John's parents were Zacharias and Elizabeth.  Zacharias was a priest and Elizabeth was Mary's (Jesus' mother) cousin.  They were very old in age (Luke 1:18), just like Abraham and Sarah were, but ...an angel of the Lord  [Gabriel] appeared to him, standing on the right side of the altar of incense.  And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.  For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:11-17)

After this visit, Elizabeth did conceive and five months later, Mary received her visit from the angel Gabriel, stating that “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.  Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.  For with God nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:35-37) Now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,  and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth.  And it happened, when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!  But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?  For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.  Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord.” (Luke 1:39-45) What a miraculous thing to happen!

Now Elizabeth’s full time came for her to be delivered, and she brought forth a son. So it was, on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.  His mother answered and said, “No; he shall be called John.”  But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” And he asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.” So they all marveled. Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed [Luke 1:18-25], and he spoke, praising God. Now his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying:

“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 [Amos 3:7],
That we should be saved from our enemies
And from the hand of all who hate us,
To perform the mercy promised to our fathers
And to remember His holy covenant,

The oath which He swore to our father Abraham:
To grant us that we,
Being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life.

“And you, child [John], will be called the prophet of the Highest;
For you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways,
To give knowledge of salvation to His people
By the remission of their sins,
Through the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us;
To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

So the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel. (Luke 1:57, 59-61, 63-64, 67-80) What a blessing for a parent to know that their child will be used by God in such a mighty way, to help change the lives of so many people and lead them to The Truth! The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him. (Proverbs 20:7)

Christ's Childhood: The "Missing" Years!

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son,... (Hebrews 1:1-2)  Jesus said, "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me." (John 5:39)

God proclaims that He would send His Son, Who existed from the beginning of creation (Genesis 1:26)
He who sits in the heavens shall laugh; The Lord shall hold them in derision. Then He shall speak to them in His wrath, And distress them in His deep displeasure: “Yet I have set My King On My holy hill of Zion.” “I will declare the decree: The Lord has said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You The nations for Your inheritance, And the ends of the earth for Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.’”  (Psalm 2:4-9) God has fulfilled this for us their children, in that He has raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.’ (Acts 13:33)

God sends the angel Gabriel to tell Mary she would conceive, eventhough she was a virgin and had never been with a man (Isaiah 7:14)

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And having come in, the angel said to her, “Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” But when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and considered what manner of greeting this was. Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.” Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?” And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God. (Luke 1:26-35)

God sends an angel to tell Joseph that Mary will conceive, and Joseph knew he wasn't the daddy, because he hadn't been with Mary
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.” Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded 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 1:18-25)

Christ is born in Bethlehem and circumcised as a baby, just as God had instructed all Jewish boy babies to be (Genesis 17:10-27) and as He had prophicied of where Christ would be born (Micah 5:2)
And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.  (Luke 2:21) Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star [Numbers 24:17] in the East and have come to worship Him.” (Matthew 2:1-2)

Joseph, Mary and Christ left Bethlehem and went to Egypt, just as God had prophecied (Hosea 11:1)
Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called My Son.” (Matthew 2:13-15)

Joseph, Mary and Christ returned to Isreal, but went to Nazareth, Galilee, just as God had prophecied (Isaiah 11:1)
Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.” Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, “He shall be called a Nazarene.” (Matthew 2:19-23) So when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city, Nazareth. And the Child grew and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him. (Luke 2:39-40)

Christ had a rough childhood all the way to His adult life, which God explains clearly through the prophet Isaiah

Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men [he was not a very attractive person]; So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider. (Isaiah 52:14-15) Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness [again, not a very attractive child, very humble and timid]; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. He is despised and rejected by men [everyone knew He wasn't Joseph's son, so they treated Him like a bastard], A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief [not a very pleasant childhood or adult life]. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. [Luke 22:63-65] All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. [Luke 23:6-12] He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors [Luke 23:13-49], And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:1-12)

As a child, Christ acknowledged whose Son He really is, as God had prophecied by the phophets (Luke 1:67-80)

And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. When they had finished the days, as they returned, the Boy Jesus lingered behind in Jerusalem. And Joseph and His mother did not know it; So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.” And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?” But they did not understand the statement which He spoke to them. Then He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them, but His mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men. (Luke 2:42-43, 48-52)

Chirst had a difficult relationship with his family, his half-brothers and sisters, the other children of Joseph and Mary (Mark 6:3)
Let not those who wait for You, O Lord GOD of hosts, be ashamed because of me; Let not those who seek You be confounded because of me, O God of Israel. Because for Your sake I have borne reproach; Shame has covered my face. [it's bad enough the people who know them knows he couldn't possible be Joseph's son, so they treat Him badly] I have become a stranger to my brothers, And an alien to my mother’s children [Mary's other children treat Him badly also, maybe because they heard what everyone else said about Him]; Because zeal for Your house has eaten me up, And the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me. [He's acknowledged Whose Son He really is, and He has great zeal, meaning energy or enthusiasm to pursue what God has called Him to do, which caused people who didn't understand to mock Him] When I wept and chastened my soul with fasting, That became my reproach. I also made sackcloth my garment; I became a byword to them. Those who sit in the gate speak against me, And I am the song of the drunkards. (Psalm 69:5-12) You know my reproach, my shame, and my dishonor; My adversaries are all before You. Reproach has broken my heart, And I am full of heaviness; I looked for someone to take pity, but there was none; And for comforters, but I found none. [He received no sympathy from anyone, treated like an outcast by all because of his "crazy" declarations of being the Son of God] They also gave me gall for my food, And for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. (Psalm 69:19-21)
Psalm 69 study done by Chuck Missler; Psalm 69 commentary by Matthew Henry

Christ's time finally comes to leave home and do what God sent Him to do, from the age of thirty until he was crucified at the age of thirty-three, but thank God that wasn't the end! 
Now Jesus Himself began His ministry at about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, (Luke 3:23) Then Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit to Galilee, and news of Him went out through all the surrounding region. And He taught in their synagogues, being glorified by all. So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” [Isaiah 61:1-2] Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” (Luke 4:14-22) Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” [Isaiah 40:3] Then he allowed Him. 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 3:13-17) Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” (Mark 1:14)

What a sad life, no wonder the scripture doesn't go into extensive detail about every aspect of his childhood: to be thought of by all who knew you as a bastard; to be treated like an outsider even by the people you live with; to be unattractive by the world's standards and mocked; to be thought of as crazy for claiming to be the Son of God and then rejected by those same people, when the Truth was proven by the scriptures!  No wonder He prayed to God before He was arrested and later crucified, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26:39) Who among us would be willing to die for the sins of people who treated us like that?  But even with all of that, He still was able to say while hanging on the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” (Luke 23:34) Choose Christ Jesus as your Savior and Lord today - He has more than earned the right!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

David’s Thanksgiving to God

Then King David went in and sat before the Lord; and he said: “Who am I, O Lord God? And what is my house, that You have brought me this far?  And yet this was a small thing in Your sight, O Lord God; and You have also spoken of Your servant’s house for a great while to come. Is this the manner of man, O Lord God?  Now what more can David say to You? For You, Lord God, know Your servant. For Your word’s sake, and according to Your own heart, You have done all these great things, to make Your servant know them. Therefore You are great, O Lord God. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. And who is like Your people, like Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people, to make for Himself a name—and to do for Yourself great and awesome deeds for Your land—before Your people whom You redeemed for Yourself from Egypt, the nations, and their gods? For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, Lord, have become their God.
 
“Now, O Lord God, the word which You have spoken concerning Your servant and concerning his house, establish it forever and do as You have said.  So let Your name be magnified forever, saying, ‘The Lord of hosts is the God over Israel.’ And let the house of Your servant David be established before You.  For You, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant, saying, ‘I will build you a house.’ Therefore Your servant has found it in his heart to pray this prayer to You.

“And now, O Lord God, You are God, and Your words are true, and You have promised this goodness to Your servant.  Now therefore, let it please You to bless the house of Your servant, that it may continue before You forever; for You, O Lord God, have spoken it, and with Your blessing let the house of Your servant be blessed forever.” (II Samuel 7:18-29)

This Thanksgiving, let's all remember to give thanks to God for who He is, for what He's already done and for all the great things He has in store to those who are the called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)!