Called to Proclaim

January 3, 2021 Background Scripture: Luke 4 Lesson Passage: Luke 4:14 – 22a The four writers of the gospel accounts attest to Jesus’ water baptism by John the Baptist. The synoptic writers, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, recorded Jesus’ anointing by the Holy Spirit after his water baptism. At that point, Jesus submitted himself fully to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness to fast and be tested by Satan. Jesus’ public ministry began after those events. He taught in the synagogues throughout the region of Galilee. He was graciously received as they recognized his gift of teaching. Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth was in Galilee. Our lesson’s text focuses on his visit to the synagogue in Nazareth—where he was brought every week as a child. The text bears this out in that it states that it was his custom to go to the synagogue on the Sabbath. On this occasion, he stood up to read, and someone in the synagogue brought him the scroll of Isaiah. He found the place on the scroll that mentioned the anointing of the Messiah and his ministry; he read it aloud. Then he closed the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. He looked around at those who were assembled. He told them that the prophecy he read to them was fulfilled in their hearing on that day. Oftentimes, the greatest scrutiny we will endure will come from those who have known us all our lives. It was no different for Jesus. It was early in his ministry, but the Holy Spirit did not keep Jesus from being in some difficult situations. In fact, the Spirit led Jesus into those situations. Nevertheless, Jesus made it clear to the hometown folks that he was called of God to proclaim the good news. Unlike other teachers, or preachers, who were called of God into ministry, Jesus’ calling was unique. His calling was the fulfillment of the ancient prophecy of Isaiah. Isaiah’s prophecy summarizes the full extent of Jesus’ preaching/teaching ministry. Even more important than that, Jesus’ calling showed that the acceptable year of the Lord was a span of time where the world would be spared the vengeance of God. The prophecy of Isaiah does not make the span of time clear. Rather, the prophecy warned of the day of vengeance as though it would come on the very heels of the announcement of the arrival of the Messiah. The acceptable year of the Lord is the time God has provided to give people the opportunity to know Him and accept His offer of salvation. In essence, the preaching ministry of the Messiah was an invitation for sinners to be saved from the wrath of God. The Messiah proclaimed a message that was being continuously fulfilled in his life, death, and resurrection. This is the acceptable year, and the sacrificial death of the Messiah is the only offering for sin that God will accept. Jesus was called to proclaim the good news. The good news is that Jesus is the sin offering that God has provided for the world. Jesus’ proclamation was his own death notice and what his death meant for the world. Many would hear him and reject the message he proclaimed. Rejection would not change his assignment to proclaim God’s saving grace to a world headed for eternal damnation. Jesus’ message was simple and clear. Today is the day of God’s offer of salvation. God’s vengeance is being forestalled, but divine justice will be executed. Jesus understood that he was called to proclaim these facts. Jesus proclaimed that sinful mankind could be spared the wrath of God by accepting Jesus’ death as the penalty for their sins. Do you understand Jesus’ proclamation? Robert C. Hudson November 28, 2020

Called to Prepare

December 27, 2020 Background Scripture: Matthew 3 Lesson Passage: Matthew 3:1 – 12 Today’s lesson is about the ministry of Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist. John the Baptist was born six months prior to the birth of Jesus. Likewise, John’s ministry did not have much of a head start before Jesus’ ministry began. John the Baptist’s ministry announced the first step needed by a person who was seeking to receive salvation. This was by no means an easy ministry for anyone. John had to be rugged, determined, and not swayed by any person who might confront or oppose him. John’s only security was in knowing that he was doing what God sent him to do. From what was written about John, it seems that he spent his formative years maturing in the desert (wilderness) and living off the land. It was probably best so that he would not have many close friendships or acquaintances that could distract from his God-given assignment. John preached a powerful message of repentance. Although John’s message could have been received as offensive by many, God had anointed him such that his preaching was compelling. John broke a four-hundred-year silence from heaven. It had been four hundred years since God had sent a prophet to national Israel. John did not go to the people, but rather, he preached in the wilderness and the people went out to hear him. John was bold and forthright, and the people of Israel were eager to hear what he had to say. John warned the people that their sins were going to be judged and there was a need for them to repent of their sins. His message was urgent because he announced that the kingdom of heaven was now imminent, and only the repentant would be prepared for it. The people were urged by John to consent to water baptism as a public demonstration of their repentance. The water baptism identified them as followers of John the Baptist and believers of his message. Furthermore, John called for more than mere lip service from those who were coming to be baptized. He demanded that the people who came for baptism demonstrate a changed heart through their actions. In Luke’s account of the Gospel, John gave several individuals specific instructions on how to change their behavior in line with repentance. His message did not fall on deaf ears; the people—small and great—responded by going out to hear John and consenting to his baptism of repentance. John challenged the elite of Jewish society, Pharisees and Sadducees, to not attempt to rely on their pedigree to get them into the kingdom of heaven. John warned them that God could create people from rocks if He so desired. Ironically, John’s powerful preaching had a heavy dose of modesty in it. John declared that he was not the Messiah Israel was looking for. His assignment was to prepare the people of Israel to receive the promised Messiah. John viewed himself as less than a slave in comparison to the coming Messiah. A slave could have assisted the Messiah with his sandals. John declared that he was not even worthy to do as much. Furthermore, John’s baptism of water that accompanied repentance would not compare to the baptism of the Messiah. The Messiah would baptize with the Holy Spirit, or fire. The Messiah would judge everyone and separate the good from the bad. If they were going to be ready for such a judgment, it was up to John the Baptist to get them ready. John was called of God to prepare them. Robert C. Hudson November 23, 2020

Called to Worship

December 20, 2020 Background Scripture: Matthew 2:7 – 15 Lesson Passage: Matthew 2:1, 2, 7 – 15 There were many mysteries surrounding the birth of the Messiah. One that is still quite obscure is the mystery of the wise men who came from the East to worship the child, Jesus. Who were those men and how did they acquire the prophecies concerning the birth of the child? Were they part of the “so called” lost tribes of Israel? Where did the prophecy concerning the star come from? The actions and responses of those wise men clearly show that they were knowledgeable about the prophecies of Isaiah, Micah, and perhaps Malachi. Their knowledge of the birth event and the nation where it would occur was inspired by God. They must have traveled a very long distance to find him. By the time they located Jesus, he was already a young child and the family was in a house. The subsequent edicts of Herod would indicate that Jesus was possibly two years old at the time. Despite the time or the distance involved, the wise men stated their singular purpose for the journey they had taken. They desired to worship the child who had been born King of the Jews. Therefore, they sought him in the capital city of the Jews, Jerusalem. When Herod learned of their mission, he assembled the chief priests and scribes and inquired of them concerning the prophecy of the child’s birthplace. After learning about Bethlehem, Herod sent the wise men there to seek the exact location of Jesus. When they found Jesus and his mother at the house in Bethlehem, the magi fulfilled their mission. They bowed down before the child and then worshipped by giving expensive gifts to him. Afterwards, God warned them to not disclose the location of the child to Herod. They departed for their country without going back to Jerusalem. Likewise, God warned Joseph to take Jesus and Mary into Egypt to avoid the slaughter that Herod would order to destroy Jesus. Joseph and the family remained in Egypt until after Herod's death. Thus, ended a strange calling and fulfillment of a mission. Of all the Jews in Bethlehem—or for that matter Judah—who God could have used to worship the child, Jesus, instead He chose wise men from a distant country to do so. It was their calling, and they went through extraordinary efforts to fulfill it. Their mission has led to many profound sermon topics over the years: “Wise Men still seek Him”, “Can You Worship without Giving?”, “Where is He Who has been born King of the Jews?”, “Have You seen His Star?”, and “Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh”, just to name a few. As we study this narrative, we should make note of the biblical account of this encounter. Today, there are many commercial nativity scenes showing the wise men visiting a baby in a manger alone with the shepherds. The shepherds, after being informed by an angel, did visit the baby in a manger the night of his birth. The wise men, on the other hand, visited the child Jesus and his mother in a house. It should also be noted that the biblical account does not tell us how many wise men came on that occasion. It could have been two or it could have been more than a hundred as far as we know. Again, commercial nativity scenes always show three magi. The number three was perhaps based on the three types of gifts given: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Whether it is from near or far, one day we will all be called to worship him who was born King of the Jews. Robert C. Hudson November 23, 2020

Called to be Emmanuel

December 13, 2020 Background Scripture: Matthew 1:18 – 25 Lesson Passage: Matthew 1:18 – 25 A person’s name in the original language was not just a label. The word had a meaning that was being ascribed to the person. If the word meant bright, it was assumed, or hoped, that the person would be intellectually astute. If the word meant red, it is possible that the person had a reddish complexion or hair. This is one of the things that made prophecy obscure; some words were descriptive, and some words were formal names. It was not easy to discern what was what based on the context or the time in which it was spoken or written. Hence, this was one of the difficulties with a passage from Isaiah’s prophecy, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Adding to the difficulty of understanding prophecy is that it was often fulfilled in the immediate future of the original recipients and then again later for all recipients. The word Immanuel literally means “God with us”. Were the original recipients expected to look for a child that was given the name Immanuel? Was any group that received this prophecy expected to look for a child so named? According to the gospel of Matthew, no one should have expected to find a child by that name as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy. According to Matthew, the literal meaning of the word, Immanuel, described the fulfillment of the prophecy. Immanuel means “God with us”. The prophecy was totally fulfilled when God lived among Israel in bodily form. To someone who is not of the Christian faith, this would sound more like the stuff mythology is made of. Why would God, with all the attributes ascribed to Him by Hebrew literature, lower Himself and live among morally and spiritually corrupt people? Could God do that and still be considered God? Doesn’t the thought that a person should strive to elevate their own character to a moral and spiritual level acceptable to God make more sense? It would make more sense if people could change their moral and spiritual character to align with God’s demand for holiness. However, when people lack that ability, then there is no bridge between mankind and God. Mankind’s moral and spiritual bankruptcy leaves us in an eternally hopeless situation. That’s why the meaning of the name, Immanuel, is of such importance to us. The phrase “God with us” helps us to see Jesus for who he is. Only then can we embrace his mission and accomplishment for mankind. Jesus didn’t just come to be with us, he came to save us from our sin. It was not enough for God to be with us. God had to become what we were, so that we could become what He is. Mankind had no bridge between God and us. Therefore, God had to become the bridge that could reconcile mankind to Himself. Sin had caused the chasm of separation between God and mankind. God’s judgment of sin required the death of the sinner. Jesus had to come into the world as a part of mankind. He had to be brought into the world without sin. Jesus had to live a sinless life as a part of mankind. Then, Jesus had to accept being a sacrificial offering for sin to fulfill the righteousness of God. Having accomplished all of this, God raised him from death and elevated him above every living creature. Aside from Jesus, every human being born into the world was conceived in sin and brought forth in iniquity. We were born into a situation leading to eternal damnation. For all who put their hope in him, Jesus is the offering for sin that grants eternal life. There is no wonder that during the season when we celebrate Jesus’ birth into the world, we see and sing about Emmanuel. Indeed, we were delivered because God was with us. Robert C. Hudson November 21, 2020

Called to be Heir

December 6, 2020 Background Scripture: Matthew 1:1 – 17; Hebrews 1 Lesson Passage: Matthew 1:1 – 6, 16 – 17; Hebrews 1:1 – 5 For some families, genealogy is everything. When nobility is a part of the family, genealogy is indispensable because it is needed to show the clear line of secession from one generation to the next. Matthew and Luke both offer genealogies of Jesus. Luke’s genealogy is significant because it clearly delineates the humanity of Jesus by tracing his lineage back to Adam, the first human. Any question about Jesus’ humanity can be answered by referring to the genealogy provided by Luke. Matthew’s genealogy is interesting for several reasons. First, in a very unusual way, Matthew’s genealogy includes five women. Four of them could have been viewed as scandalous. Those four could have been viewed as contaminating the Jewish bloodline of the Messiah. Three of them involved matters of indiscretion. A second observation of Matthew’s genealogy is that it follows the royal lineage starting with King David. Most of those listed were either king of united Israel or king of Judah, after the kingdom was divided. The final one third of the genealogy takes place after the crown has been cast down in Babylon, but it still follows the lineage that was heir to the crown of Judah. It is this observation that brings us to the topic of this lesson, “Called to be Heir”. What does it mean to be heir of a crown that has been cast down? Nothing if the crown remains that way. The prophets of God made it clear that is not the final outcome. The kingdom will be restored. Upon restoration, the proper ruler will be enthroned. However, the prophecy goes well beyond the restoration of Judah as a sovereign nation. Judah will be restored as sovereign over the entire world. The throne of Judah will be reestablished as the sovereignty over this earthly kingdom. The heir of such a kingdom must be properly identified and recognized. Matthew’s genealogy resolves all of that. Is that the end of the story? Not hardly. Restored Judah will be much more than an earthly kingdom with human subjects. It will be an everlasting kingdom and the subjects will be human and angelic. All spirits and powers will become subject to this kingdom. This is where the writer of the Hebrew epistle helps us to grasp what is to come. Angels and other spirits and principalities are only subject to God. They are sent to be servants of God who sometimes intervene in human situations. For them to be subject to this throne, the one who rules from it must be God or an Heir of God. Jesus is the eternal Son of God. He was born into this world as a child and therefore was made lower than the angels. (This is where the old Baptist preachers would say "He came down through forty and two generations”.) Although Jesus had a human mother, God is his Father. After the Calvary event where he secured eternal salvation for mankind, God raised him from the dead and gave him a name that is above all names. At the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow and recognize that he is heir to the eternal throne. Jesus is a descendant of David and because of it will reign over mankind. Jesus is the son of God and because of it will reign over angels, principalities and every other kind of spirit. As son of David, Jesus is heir to the throne that is prophesied to rule over all the earth. As son of God, Jesus is heir to the eternal throne that rules over the entire creation and every living creature. In Jesus, both thrones become one, and he is the sole heir to it. Robert C. Hudson November 21, 2020