Wow!

We’ve just been talking (for nearly a month) about Jesus’ Virgin Birth.

Then suddenly yesterday, His Death.

And now?

His “Ascension?”

His Return to Glory is that important!

Paul wrote, reviewing Jesus’ Life, these words, First Timothy 3:16. “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” Note the first and last Events in this Holy Spirit generated list … the BIRTH (“manifested in the flesh”) and the ASCENSION (“received up into Glory”) of our Lord. Surely these “bookends” to Jesus’ Ministry are critically important!

Then again the Apostle John uses this same line of thought. From the little island of Patmos, Revelation 12:5. Speaking of Israel (the woman here) and Jesus (the Child): “And she brought forth a Man Child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her Child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.” Again a list that begins with Jesus’ BIRTH (“brought forth a Man Child”) and concludes with Jesus’ ASCENSION (“caught up unto God, and to His Throne”).

Neither of these Passages belittle Jesus’ Death, Burial and Resurrection, of course. That grand Gospel Emphasis (its very crux, its heart) is told elsewhere in the New Testament, again and again.

But these Passages DO show us how vital Jesus’ RETURN TO HEAVEN must have been.

Yes, right now … the little Baby about Whom we’ve heard so much … is now grown and sitting and co-ruling the universe! At the Right Hand of His Father!

He too, as our Saviour and great High Priest … is interceding (praying) for us hour by hour!

Not just a Babe in a manger, is He?

But also … the ASCENDED Lord of life!

Hallelujah!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

The godly man Simeon (whom we met in Luke 2) “hinted” that Jesus’ Birth would not be totally “pleasant.” There would be “sorrow” intermingled with the “joy.” That the virgin Mary would not only “rejoice” over His Birth … but also have a “sword” pierce her heart! See Luke 2:35 about that “sword.”

And to Joseph (Mary’s espoused Husband) the angel clearly announced: “She shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

See, in this one verse!

Jesus’ Birth.

Immediately followed by (with the intervening years obviously being telescoped) Jesus’ Death!

I say that because the ONLY way Jesus could save sinners is through His sacrificial Death on the Cross. Paul most distinctly said it in First Corinthians 15:3. “That Christ DIED FOR OUR SINS according to the scriptures.”

Biblically speaking, there is a shadow over the manger. A dark (but ultimately victorious) sign of the impending (old rugged) Cross!

Amen!

He came to die!

Do you know Him today not only as a Baby in a crib?

But as your personal Deliverer, Saviour, Redeemer?

The One Who died, was buried, and rose again for our justification?

If not, meet Him this very hour.

How, one might ask this Christmas Day? Romans 10:9-10 answers: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, THOU SHALT BE SAVED. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Truth indeed!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

“Her Firstborn Son” … that’s what two of the New Testament’s Gospels call Jesus, in reference to His Mother Mary.

“She brought forth HER FIRSTBORN SON, and called His Name Jesus.” Matthew 1:25

“And she brought forth HER FIRSTBORN SON, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger.” Luke 2:7

Jesus of necessity HAD to be Mary’s Firstborn!

He, our Lord, had no earthly father!

He is “born of God!”

“Born of a virgin!”

In fact, going back to Matthew 1:25, “He (Joseph) knew her (Mary) NOT till she had brought forth her Firstborn Son. And he (Joseph) called His Name Jesus.”

Yes, Jesus is the oldest in that family!

Truthfully, He had (later) some brothers and sisters! After Joseph and Mary lived together as Husband and Wife, sexually. Well, half-brothers and half-sisters! Sharing the same Mother but NOT the same Father! Jesus is the Son of God! See Mark 6:3 for their names, some of them!

So … this Christmas Eve do remember. We celebrate the Birth, the unique Birth, the never-occurred-before-or-since Birth of the Lord Jesus Christ!

And because of Calvary, the shed Blood of God, we who are “saved” are now being conformed into the very Image of Jesus God’s Son! In that sense Jesus is FIRST again! Romans 8:29, in part, says: We shall be “conformed to the Image of His (God’s) Son, that He (Jesus) might be the FIRSTBORN among many brethren!”

Jesus, my older Brother!

Jesus the “Author” (a Greek word meaning “line-leader) of our faith! So says Hebrews 12:2.

Jesus, Mary’s Firstborn!

Jesus, the Church’s Firstborn!

Jesus, the eternal Son of God!

Oh, come. Let us adore Him!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

 

I grew up hearing Mom, Aunt Myrtie, and others begin my bedtime stories with these words, “Once upon a time.”

I suspect my love of reading, of good literature, and ultimately love of Scripture began in those days years ago.

I earlier today wondered, “How did the Gospel Writers began their Story? The greatest Story ever told? About Jesus Christ, the Son of God!”

Well, here are Matthew’s opening words. “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.” Matthew 1:18

The noun “birth” is “gennesis” (not misspelled) in Greek. It means an “engendering.” Jesus was “born,” not as God (wherein He is eternal) … but as man, as a little boy (a new thing on the earth, God having never been previously clothed in human flesh)!

“Espoused” translates “mnesteuo,” sort of like “promised in marriage.” The word develops from the “memory” words of the language. “Don’t forget, you’re engaged!”

“Came together” is self-explanatory. In a physical way, sexually.

“Was found,” a discoverable fact! “Heurisko” in Greek, to “come upon” an amazing truth, reality!”

“Found with child” utilizes the word for “womb,” spelled “gaster.”

“Of the Holy Ghost,” in Greek “ek pneuma hagios.” Literally “out of” the Holy Spirit! Jesus was NOT fathered by Joseph, but rather by God!

This is why we call His Arrival a “Virgin Birth.”

But back to my original thought today. “On this wise,” says Matthew!

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was ON THIS WISE: when as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.”

“On this wise,” that quaint, beautiful little phrase, is (in Greek) “houto eimi.” Rather woodenly, literally it must be translated … “It was (like) this.” I really prefer the King James’ beautiful rendering, don’t you?

“On this wise” … and thereafter Matthew relates the Events as given him by the Holy Spirit. The Same Holy Spirit Who fathered Jesus, what an Authority He would be!

No wonder Matthew quotes and applies the Old Testament, weaving its prophecies into the Birth Story so eloquently! The Holy Spirit is his Source, too!

“On this wise …”

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

May I call it, “The greatest Story ever told?” Or at least the beginning of that Story! It’s now called the “Gospel!”

 

Our Verse today is found in Revelation chapter 12. There appears a “woman.” She represents, I believe, the nation of “Israel.” And she is “with child.”

About the time the “Birth” occurs, we see that … “a dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for TO DEVOUR HER CHILD as soon as it was born. And she brought forth a man child ….” Revelation 12:4-5

The “dragon” here is a picture of the “Devil.” We know that because later in Revelation 12 he is so identified. “The great dragon … that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.” Revelation 12:9

And what does the dragon wish to do to the little newborn “Man Child?”

“To devour!”

In Greek “katesthio” actually means “to gobble down,” or “to consume fully!”

The Devil hates the Lord Jesus that much!

Hence … Herod’s “death decree” for the infants in Bethlehem … the hurried trip to Egypt … and a thousand other dangerous “arrows” hurled at the God-Man, I suspect.

Jesus was despised from infancy!

Still is in many places.

Where is devil is strong.

But guess what?

The devil did not devour Jesus!

Jesus, rather, crushed the head of the Devil!

“For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might DESTROY the works of the devil.” 1st John 3:8, Hallelujah!

Oh, one final verse today. Once Jesus returns to earth. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Revelation 20:10

I’m glad we know Who won!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell