by Tom Yerman
The day of Christmas has passed, but the Spirit of Jesus continues to celebrate moving us forward. I trust you all had a very blessed and merry Christmas. Spiritually speaking, I’m sure we all found and opened up the same gift under the tree: a gift of faith wrapped in mercy and grace and tied with love. What a gift! I’m looking forward to the never-ending experience of that gift throughout this New Year with you. How real and alive is the Presence of the Lord walking with you and dwelling in you? I write this simply to share my heart and encourage you with an endless truth we must never let grow old.
I continue to bow down in awe of both the effort God put in giving us a revelation of Himself and the clarity of His message and purpose for us (mankind) to be like Him. To be like Him requires one to know Him, a relational cry that continues to echo from the book of Genesis through the book of Revelation. The clarity of this call to know God has never been clearer than what we have today. After all, Christ is God’s final word.
Let’s remember Abraham and his promised son Isaac. God tested Abraham in asking him to sacrifice his son and then stopped him just before he thrust the knife into him. God saw that Abraham’s heart was fully surrendered to Him and declared that sacrifice as being done (Genesis 22:1-16). What a moment that must have been for both God and Abraham, a moment of eternity and time embracing. That was a scene that foreshadowed the sacrifice of God’s promised Son, Jesus Christ. I could only imagine what God the Father and Son might have experienced together watching over a sacrifice they would soon fulfill themselves.
The crucifixion of Christ wasn’t the only scene that was rehearsed in time past. The miraculous birth of Jesus was also seen (allegorized) in the Old Testament. There was a miraculous birth that foreshadowed the miraculous birth of Christ. Again, the scene included Sarah & Abraham and their son Isaac. Scripture tells us that Abraham and Sarah were very old (well advanced in years), and she was past the age of childbearing (Genesis 18:11-12). Literally, that it had ceased to be with Sarah as with young women. It was physically impossible for them to bear a child at the ages of 90 and 100. Yet the miraculous birth that was promised to Abraham by God was fulfilled in the birth of Isaac, (Genesis 21:1-2). The birth/conception of this child was supernatural, a miracle given by God. And once again we see an Old Testament event foreshadowing the New Testament one. The birth and sacrifice of Jesus Christ is one that continues to shape the character and destiny of every human being through out time.
Jesus was no ordinary man. He came to teach, reveal, and model a relationship of a man knowing God. His teaching and life were clear. He scattered seed, put the lamp on a stand, and planted the mustard seed. He searched for the lost sheep, coin, and son. The dead came alive, the lost were found, and love was given its true meaning in life.
His own “came to Him” and He taught them to be salt, light, and pray. He challenged them to seek first His kingdom and then tested their faith. He controlled nature, commanded the supernatural, and sustained the daily need. Jesus is the Son of God, Son of Man, and Bread of Life.
Jesus was no ordinary man. He was rock-solid in knowing who He was (John 13:3) and wanted His followers to know Him the same. In following Jesus, we become no ordinary people.
I point these things out to encourage and remind you that the eternal transcendent God is clearly speaking in time – nothing is impossible with God. The birth and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ are powerful! Time and eternity embraced. Think about it: God’s Kingdom is here! We have oneness with God in Christ! May we continue to keep these truths alive and focused in our hearts as we end one year and begin a new one.
As you know, these Old Testament stories are historically true, shadows of what was to come, and are fulfilled in Christ today. Now it’s all about us: A story being written of a people walking with God while we wait in anticipation for the promise of Jesus to return for us – any day (1 Thess. 4:18). Let’s not compromise His Word or live like the world. We have been called, chosen, elected… to live the life God provided for us to live with Him for eternity before time in time! 😀
Let’s be sure to fear the Lord, walk faithfully with Him with all our heart, and remember all the great things He has done for us. As we are being challenged by the world, we are also being tested in the world (1 Thess. 2:4). Stay focused and persevere. Jesus said, “I am coming soon!” It won’t be long now (Luke 21:28).
Looking forward to a blessed New Year with all you “no ordinary” people!
Pastor Tom Yerman in residence at Living Hope Church in Elk Grove, IL.
