Corona Devo 3317
I'm not sure if you've heard of this trend, but some parents give their one-year-old babies their own birthday cake. It's called a 'smash cake', (for obvious reasons), and that's what happens to it. The tiny child inevitably digs into the cake with their hands, or face, or both, and it's never pretty. It's messy and...did I mention that it's messy?
Birthday cakes just weren't meant for one-year-olds to eat them all by themselves--and with no assistance.
Do kids like cake? Sure, but we (at any age) should not be ingesting a whole cake by ourselves, with our hands, it's just not the way birthday cake was intended to be enjoyed.
Not because of birthdays and birthday-cake-references in the Bible. No--I don't think that Adam and Eve baked a smash cake (each) for Cain, Abel, and Seth (and their other children) on their first birthdays, and nor can I remember a mention in the Bible of any of Jacob's twelve sons enjoying a smash cake, (of their very own) when they turned one year old.
That's not what I meant. And--(as a reminder): my idea of smash cakes is that birthday cakes were not meant for babies to handle on their own. We all know (and have experienced the joy of) people singing "happy birthday" together and sharing in a birthday cake together.
It's lovely. It's not messy, and it is (I believe) how birthday's should be enjoyed.
When I was reading in Matthew about Jesus-coming-down to us, in the form of a babe, God (in His Word), describes Jesus to us and for us:
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” ~Matthew 1:21
This announcement of Jesus defines His purpose in being born to Mary, and to the world: he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
That's us!
But--let's look closer.
God could have said "he will save people from their sins”.
But instead, and on purpose, God said, "he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).
We are His, Brothers and Sisters. In fact, even before we knew God and Jesus--we were "theirs". They had already said so--we just didn't know it yet.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. ~Romans 5:8
Jesus saved us from our sins. That is the meaning of His Name.
Jesus/Yeshua/Savior: Jesus means the One who saves us.
And Jesus was not born into a human body for just anyone. No-the Scriptures do not say that. Jesus came to save his people from their sins. And--that's us.
Isn't it a comforting Truth? Special. It is peace-giving and hopefully this Good News has changed our life.
It should.
But--what are we doing with this (life-giving) knowledge/this Truth/this hope...that Jesus...will save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).
...The ones that Jesus also came to save from their sins.
Jesus did NOT just come to save us from our sins. He came to save us and to save all his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).
What are we doing in keeping the light/love/hope/promise of Jesus all to ourselves?
The Bible clearly commands that the knowledge-of-God and the opportunity-to-know-Him are NOT to be kept to ourselves. The Gospel of Jesus Christ just wasn't meant for Believers to receive and to eat-of-it all by themselves.
We are called to go out and to share the Word of the Lord with others...with lots of others! With all the others. For--they are all his children: some of them just don't KNOW it yet.
- Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (20) and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” ~Matthew 28:19-20
- Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. (15) He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. (16) Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ~Mark 16:14-16
Shame-on-us if we are being little piggies in our faith and in our personal-consumption, but no external- evangelism of God and His Son, Jesus. That's just not the way that God intended His salvation/grace/mercy/love to be enjoyed.
- But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect... ~I Peter 3:15
- “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” (37) When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” (38) Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (39) The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” (40) With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” (41) Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. ~Acts 2:36-41
~~~
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” ~Matthew 1:21
He saved us. We cannot keep that smashing knowledge to ourselves.
Blessings,
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