The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ

The Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ  

by Evangelist Joe Collins

The proof of Christ Jesus’ deity, can be found all over the scriptures. Not only does the scriptures show that Christ Jesus was the awaited Messiah, but that he was also the Son of God. There are many verses and prophecies in the Bible pointing to Christ Jesus as God and as the Messiah. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and is a part of the Trinity. The Trinity is not three different gods working together, but One True God in three distinct, divine Persons. This is evident in the first book of the Bible, Genesis. Genesis 1:1 states that:“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1 says God, not gods. Yet, twenty-five verses later in Genesis 1:26 God says:“And God said, Let us make man in our image…”  Here we see God calling Himself in plural form. So from these two verses and many others in the bible, we can see that there is only one true God but also three persons: The Trinity. Jesus Christ is the second part of the Trinity, with the Holy Spirit being the third and God the Father being the first.

Another way that we can see and know that Jesus Christ is God, is that He received and  welcomed worship from mankind. The great thing about Him being worshiped, is when He was worshiped skeptics could say that Christ being an adult could have tricked his followers and fellow men to worship Him with stories, and knowledge of Old Testament scriptures and with miracles (Matthew 14:33 and 28:9), but skeptics can not say that to the accounts found in Matthew 2:2 and Matthew 2:11, where Christ was merely three years of age and was being worshiped as the Messiah and as God.

Even John, one of Christ’s beloved disciples, started his gospel off by calling Christ not only God and connecting Him to the beginning of time in Genesis but also called Him the “Word”, the Living Word (John 1:1-5). John was so close to Jesus and worshiped Him so much that John no longer saw Jesus Christ as merely as a man, but saw the prophecies and scriptures in living flesh, breathing and living among him and the other disciples.     Not only did the disciples call Jesus Christ God, but so did the demons Christ had cast out of people. Matthew 8:28-34 : “And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time? And there was a good way off from them an herd of many swine feeding. So the devils besought him, saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of swine. And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters. And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils. And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.” Matthew 8:28-34 is a perfect example of the demons who were in so much fear of Jesus Christ, that they exalted Him and gave Him praise by calling Him the Son of God and then begged for Him not to destroy them but instead to cast them out into livestock until their due time. Jesus Christ allowed the demons to flee into the large herd of pigs that the demons asked for, while the disciples were all watching. If that alone was not enough to prove the deity of Jesus Christ to the disciples; Christ went on to do several more miracles and fulfilled all the prophecies about being the messiah before their eyes, they finally called Christ, “Lord and Son of God”, in Matthew 16:16.

Jesus Christ Himself, also called Himself God in several ways. First off, He forgave people of their sins and would heal these who placed their faith in Him as Savior and Friend. Mark 2:1-12, Matthew 9:27-34, and Luke 7:1-10 are key verses to prove this. In Mark 2:1-12, Jesus Christ heals a man of palsy and forgives him and others of their sins while being challenged by the Pharisees, with them declaring that only God can forgive sins. In Matthew 9:27-34 Jesus Christ is making the blind see and letting the mute speak for the first time while being challenged by the Pharisees to prove He is God and not the devil by healing people. In Luke 7:1-10 Christ Jesus is traveling with a Roman Centurion towards the Roman Centurions house, when they get news that the Roman Centurions servant has died. Because of the Roman Centurions faith and understanding in Christ’s authority and power, he ask for Jesus Christ to merely speak the word and his servant would live and be healthy. Christ forgave them of their sins and heals the servant. Christ preformed many miracles and fulfilled prophecies. In fact, Christ fulfilled all of the prophecies about who the Son of God and Messiah would be; all thousand plus prophecies. That alone should prove Him as God.

Over six hundred years, one thousand and ninety-three prophecies were prophesied and written in thirty-nine different books and Christ did and fulfilled all of them. Christ was also sinless, making Him the perfect sacrifice for our sins. If everyone on earth was perfect, like Christ was, the chances of any of us fulfilling all of one thousand and ninety-three prophecies and being the savior would be a 1 in a 1 to the 895th power of a chance. Just the odds alone again, proves Christ Jesus as the Messiah and as our Lord God Almighty.

The third thing Christ did that proves that He is God, is that He would tell people He was God, such as in Revelation 1:17-18, and He would agree when people called Him God ( Luke 22:66-71 and Luke 23:1-4 ). But the most powerful ways Christ proved He was God, was when He claimed that He and the Father was One (John 10:30), and when He said “Anyone who has seen me, has seen the Father” ( John 14:9 ) and then proved it to be true by going to the cross and raising from the dead three days later.

God the Father and the Holy Spirit both called Christ Jesus, God in Matthew 3:16-17. In the book of Matthew, in chapter three at verses sixteen and seventeen, Jesus Christ becomes water baptized in the Jordan river by John the Baptist, His cousin. When Christ ascends out of the river, the Holy Spirit descends from the heavens onto Christ’s shoulders as a dove to show His approval and to show the holiness that is in Christ Jesus and God the Father spoke audibly to the crowd about His Son, telling them how well pleased He was in Jesus Christ’s baptism!

In conclusion, it is easy to see why so many around the world and through out the ages of generations, have come to know Christ Jesus as Savior and as Lord, but in the same sense, it is incredibly hard to see why anyone would deny Christ Jesus as God or having Him not be divine in their eyes. Hopefully, with this report, many will come to see that the deity of Jesus Christ is one hundred percent true and give their lives to Him!

The Meaning of the Christmas Advent Wreath

Meaning of the Christmas Advent Wreath

By : Evangelist Joe Collins

 

The Meaning of the Christmas Wreaths and  Advent Wreaths :

 

History of the Advent Wreath :

The Advent wreath is a part of our long-standing tradition and history of the Christian Church of Jesus Christ. Wreaths have much history and symbolism associated with them, however, the actual origins are somewhat uncertain as of where this act of remembrance and worship of God comes from. There is some evidence out there of a pre-Christian tradition using a wreath and candles by a Germanic peoples that would light the candles in the wreath during the days of December, to be a symbol of hope and faith that the days of spring would bring warmth again to their land and that the sun would stay out longer during the day, occurred. In Scandinavia rituals to a god of light that they worshiped, the people would light candles and place them around a wheel during the winter season during the year, and pray to this god of light that he/she/it would turn “the wheel of the earth” back toward the sun to make the days longer again and to bring warmth back to the area..

By the Middle Ages, we find a lot of history and facts and evidence that Christians were using wreaths in tradition, as well as, a symbol of remembrance of Christ and aspects of the Christian faith. History shows us that by about the 1600’s, both Catholics and Lutherans (The two dominant christian groups during that time) were using the advent wreathes as part of their preparation for Christmas. Both groups had begun to make Christmas a more formal practice in the setting of the church and it’s people and by doing so, added the advent wreath into it as well.

In English-speaking countries, wreaths are used typically as household ornaments, mainly as Christmas decorations to celebrate the birth of Christ, but they are also still used in ceremonial events in many other cultures around the globe.

The first known association with these now modern day wreaths dates back to the Lutherans in Germany in the 16th century. In 1839, JohannHinrich Wichern used a wreath made from a cart wheel to educate children about the meaning and purpose of Christmas, as well as to help them count its approach. For every Sunday of Advent, starting with the fourth Sunday before Christmas, he would put a white candle in the wreath and for every day in between he would use a red candle.

Since then, all wreaths, whether placed on a door, table or anywhere, finds its history; its past; its origins, from the Church and the Advent Wreath!

Wreaths found in Scripture :

During the times of the Bible (about a 6000 yr span), there were wreaths as well. They had two types. Most famously known is the Greek/Roman gold metal leaflet wreaths one would wear around their head, but the secondary, less famous one, is the wreath we know of today that we decorate and put out during holidays or at funerals. Though there are a few scriptures about wreaths in general, I will post only the scriptures about the wreaths we know of today. The references are 1 Kings 7:29,  1 Kings 7:30, and 1 King 7:36.

Symbols of Remembrance :

The symbolism of the Advent wreath is a great reminder of Christ and the ideologies of the Christian faith, and because of all the many things it symbolizes and helps us remember, it can be somewhat lengthily to remember. 

First, the Advent wreath, as a whole, symbolizes the first coming of Christ 2000 years ago and our  preparation (waiting) for the second coming of Christ and His earthly kingdom He will establish. Advent, itself, stands for for “Come” and “Arrival”. Christ has come and has paid the price for our salvation, and He will Arrive again as Scriptures state.

Advent wreaths are usually an assortment of flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs or various materials that is constructed to resemble a ring of sorts. Now depending on whether or not, you are making a plain wreath or an advent wreath will determine whether or not you have candles in it. Candles are usually only in Advent wreaths because they are there more for remembrance purposes and acts of worship then just for looks. The circular shape of the wreath (ring) has no beginning or end and therefore best represents God, Who, like the ring, has no beginning and no end. The ‘ring’ has also meant to some the symbol of Christ’s love for us, being that His love is eternal.

Now Advent wreaths are usually made from evergreens to represent everlasting (eternal) life brought through Jesus Christ because evergreens last even throughout the harshest winters and never die. The evergreens also symbolize ‘Strength’ that we find in Christ Jesus, because Evergreens seem to never give up and die during the winter season unlike all other trees who give up their leaves and appear dead.

Most, if not all Advent Wreaths, have holly in it one way or another whether it is holly branches or just holly berries or both. Holly branches have thorns and when used in a wreath it represents the thorns on Jesus’ crown when he was crucified for our sins. Bright red holly berries symbolize the droplets of Jesus’ blood that was shed for us.

A Christmas Wreath, unlike the Advent Wreath, has a meaning that can be ‘added’ to it if hung up on a door (the front door preferably). The door is where someone is welcomed into the home, house, or building. Christ welcomes us to salvation if we choose to accept it, just like we are welcomed to enter into the home, house, or building if we so choose. Also, the wreath hangs on the door, like Christ hung on the cross for our sins, another symbol to remember!

The middle of the wreath (Christmas & Advent) is bare and is an empty space. This symbolizes to us to remember what life would be like for us as christians without Christ’s love and grace, and how the world is to those who are not saved.

Pine cones, nuts, or any type of seeds used to decorate the wreath symbolize the life and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the life and resurrection that we have now, as well.

The Candles and their meanings :

The four candles in the wreath represent the four weeks of Advent. The fifth candle, sits in the middle of the empty space of the center of the wreath represents Christ, Himself. A tradition is that each week represents one thousand years, to sum to the 4,000 years from Adam and Eve until our Savior’s Birth, Jesus Christ. But each candle also has its own name and its own symbols as well.

Most Advent wreaths use three colors – purple, pink, and white. However, some may use blue in place of the purple.

1. 1st CANDLE – (purple) THE PROPHECY CANDLE or CANDLE OF HOPE – We can have hope because God is faithful and will keep the promises made to us. Our hope comes from God. “And again, Isaiah says, ‘The Root of Jesse will spring up, one who will arise to rule over the nations; the Gentiles will hope in him.’ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:12-13)
2. 2nd CANDLE – (purple) THE BETHLEHEM CANDLE or THE CANDLE OF PREPARATION – God kept his promise of a Savior who would be born in Bethlehem. Preparation means to “get ready”. Help us to be ready to welcome YOU, O GOD! “As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: ‘A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God’s salvation.‘ (Luke 3:4-6)
3. 3rd CANDLE – (pink) THE SHEPHERD CANDLE or THE CANDLE OF JOY – The angels sang a message of JOY! “…and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.” (Luke 2:7-15)
4. 4th CANDLE – (purple) THE ANGEL CANDLE or THE CANDLE OF LOVE – The angles announced the good news of a Savior. God sent his only Son to earth to save us, because he loves us! “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)
5. 5th CANDLE – (white) “CHRIST CANDLE” – The white candle reminds us that Jesus is the spotless lamb of God, sent to wash away our sins! Being placed in the center of the ’empty space’ also is a physical reminder that Christ came down from heaven and entered into our world for our salvation. When the candle is lit, it reminds us that Christ is the light of the world!  After all, Christ is “the Light that came into the world” to dispel the darkness of sin and to radiate the truth and love of God (cf. John 3:19-21). His birth was for his death, his death was for our birth! “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!‘” (John 1:29)

“Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, ‘Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.’ In reply Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’ ‘How can a man be born when he is old?’ Nicodemus asked. ‘Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.‘” (John 3:1-8)

This family practice this a good tradition that helps us to remain vigilant in our homes and not lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas, Christ Jesus.

The Manger Points to the Cross and Our Salvation

The Manger Pointed to The Cross and Our Salvation

Author Unknown

The manger in which Jesus was laid has colored our imagery of Christmas. A manger, “[i]s a feeding-trough, crib, or open box in a stable designed to hold fodder for livestock.” Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, page 674. Usually, we associate the manger with the animals in the story of Christmas or with Jesus’ perceived poverty. I have several nativity sets which include the manger, along with barn animals. Although I am a nativity set enthusiast, there is a much deeper meaning in the manger.

The manger is mentioned three times in Luke 2. Mary lays Jesus in the manger, the angels tell the shepherds that they will find the Savior by seeking the baby lying in a manger, and then the shepherds in fact find Jesus lying in a manger. Obviously, the repetitive references to the manger are indicative of its significance in Luke’s narrative. As Bible scholar N.T. Wright comments:

[I]t was the feeding-trough, appropriately enough, which was the sign to the shepherds. It told them which baby they were looking for. And it showed them that the angel knew what he was talking about. To be sure, it’s another wonderful human touch in the story, to think of the young mother finding an animal’s feeding-trough ready to hand as a cot for her newborn one. No doubt there are many sermons waiting to be preached here about God coming down into the mess and muddle of real life. But the reason Luke has mentioned it is because it’s important in giving the shepherds their news and their instructions.

Why is this significant? Because it was the shepherds who were told who this child was. This child is the savior, the Messiah, the Lord. The manger isn’t important in itself. It’s a signpost, a pointing finger, to the identity and task of the baby boy who’s lying in it. The shepherds, summoned in from the fields (like David, the shepherd boy, brought in from the fields to be anointed as king), are made privy to the news, so that Mary and Joseph, hearing it from this unexpected source, will have extra confirmation of what up until now has been their own secret.  Wright, Luke for Everyone, page 22.

Wright’s comments are insightful. The shepherds hurried to Bethlehem and found their Savior just as the angel said – confirmed by the discovery of the baby in the manger. Because of this confirmation, they began telling others that the Savior had come. But Wright’s point that I had not reflected on before, was how this must have been powerful confirmation to Mary and Joseph. As verse 19 states, “Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart.” It is revealing that God – on this momentous day – was concerned with providing confirmation that Mary would be able to “treasure.”

But it seems to me that there is yet more significance to the manger than its confirming role. Why did God choose to use the manger as a “sign” of the Savior? Signs are often chosen for a reason. For example, the “blood” of Jesus wiping away our sins alludes to the blood of animal sacrifices in earlier Judaism. So, the question remains, why the manger? The answer, I believe, is found later in Luke (as well as in Mark, Matthew, and 1 Corinthians) at the Last Supper:

And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood .”    Luke 22:19-20. From the day of His birth, Jesus was meant to die on our behalf. He came to offer his own body, his own blood, to accomplish his work as Savior. Jesus offered his body and blood as a sacrifice for us to consume and by consuming that sacrifice we find salvation. As John wrote, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.” Thus, it is fitting that the Savior, at the start of his life, would be placed in a feeding-trough as a sign not only of who He is, but of how He will fulfill His purpose and effect our salvation. To me, that is the meaning of the manger.

The manger is a two-fold message. First it points to the fact that Chirst is the food of the world. (Bread and wine // “Eat of me and never go hungery again”- Jesus) also it points that Christ would be crucified on the cross for our sins. He was born into this world and laid on some wood, and he would die in this world laying on some wood!

The History of the Nativity Scene

As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend. Proverbs 27:17

 

 

The History of the Nativity

Scene

The Birth of the Nativity Scene

The first-ever Nativity scene recorded in history was created by St. Francis of Assisi. Saint Francis of Assisi is credited with creating the first nativity scene in 1223.

St. Francis was concerned that the meaning of Christmas was becoming lost as most people were more focused with the ritual of gift giving them they were of the true message of Christmas.

Determined to remind people what Christmas is really about, he set about creating the world’s first known Nativity scene to help tell his people of The Nativity Story. It was created in a cave and near Greccio, Italy, and involved real people and animals, making it a living Nativity scene.

Today, nearly 800 years later, we still hear religious leaders echoing St. Francis’s words. The true message of Christmas is becoming lost; buried underneath layers of secular traditions. Yet at the same time, we also still see nativities everywhere come Christmas time.

While living Nativity scenes still exist today, much more popular are static versions that require no real people or animals. Some of the most famous Nativity scenes can be found at the Vatican, the White House, and in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

How Nativity Scenes Came to our Homes

Nativity scenes and sets as we know them today found their roots in the 1300′s. They started as display pieces for Italian churches. Often made out of terracotta, these early Nativity sets were displayed year round.

In the mid-1500′s, Nativity sets began to appear Not only in churches, but in the homes of wealthier citizens, even though some prominent religious groups in Italy at the time were attempting to move away from nativities altogether.

These are much smaller versions than the large statue found in churches. Instead of being constructed solely of terracotta, artisans began using wax and wood as well. They were also dressed in beautiful clothes.

Over the years, the nativities spread to practically all Christian countries, each region adding its own influence and unique style. Traditions were also developed in some countries, most notably in Central American and Mediterranean countries.

The home Nativity was picked up more than anybody by the Germans, where Catholic and Protestant families alike display them in their homes. It is still tradition in Germany to display all parts of the Nativity set with the exception of baby Jesus, who is only displayed after Christmas Eve, as before that time he is not yet been born. Most other regions, including America, do not follow this tradition.

Today’s Nativity Sets

Today, the typical Nativity set is made out of more modern materials, such as porcelain, ceramic, resin, and sometimes china, but some sets are still carved out of wood, or even a more expensive olive wood.

The basic nativity set should consist of at least five pieces. The stable, of course, is the setting. The manger where baby Jesus will rest, is placed front and center in the stable. This is because Jesus is the most significant piece in any Nativity set. Mary and Joseph are also prominent, but not as prominent. Mary is often placed right beside the manger, fondly looking over her son, while Joseph can either be placed on the other side of the manger looking down on Jesus, or slightly away from the manger looking away. Together, these five pieces, stable, manger, Christ child, Mary and Joseph, make a complete yet basic set.

In addition to the basic set, it is not uncommon to add the star of Bethlehem, the Angel Gabriel, the shepherds, the Wisemen, and various barn animals. Some nativity set creators, such as Fontanini, have hundreds of sets and figurines available, giving you endless opportunities to make your nativity scene truly unique.

Many people consider keeping a Nativity on display over the Christmas holidays is a great way to remind us all of the true message of Christmas. Nativity scenes can start out small, and become hobbies for families, where a new piece or pieces are added each year.