Bible Verses on God's Love for Us

God loves each and every one of us, and the Bible if full of examples of how God shows that affection. Here are some Bible verses on God's love for us:

John 3:16-17
For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.  God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

John 15:9-17
“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.  When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you these things so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!  This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.  There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.  I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.  You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. This is my command: Love each other. 

John 16:27
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. 

1 John 2:5
But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him 

1 John 4:7
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. 

1 John 4:19
We love each other because he loved us first.

1 John 4:7-16
Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God. But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.  God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him.  This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.  Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other.  No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. And God has given us his Spirit as proof that we live in him and he in us. Furthermore, we have seen with our own eyes and now testify that the Father sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. All who confess that Jesus is the Son of God have God living in them, and they live in God.  We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 

1 John 5:3
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 

Romans 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Matthew 5:3-10
God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs. God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted. God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied. God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy. God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God. God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God. God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.

Matthew 5:44-45
But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 

Galatians 5:22-23
God’s Spirit makes us loving, happy, peaceful, patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle, and self-controlled. There is no law against behaving in any of these ways.

Psalm 27:7
Hear my voice when I call, Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. 

Psalm 136:1-3
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His faithful love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords. His faithful love endures forever. 

Psalm 145:20
You take care of everyone who loves you, but you destroy the wicked. 

Ephesians 3:17-19
Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.  And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is.  May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. 

Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” 

James 1:12
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 

Colossians 1:3
Each time we pray for you, we thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Lamentations 3:22-23
The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning.

Romans 15:13
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

God the Father

God the Father is the first Person of the Trinity, which also includes his Son, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.

Christians believe there is one God who exists in three Persons. This mystery of the faith cannot be understood by the human mind but is a key doctrine of Christianity. While the word Trinity does not appear in the Bible, several episodes include the simultaneous appearance of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, such as the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:16-17).

We find many names for God in the Bible. Jesus urged us to think of God as our loving father and went a step further by calling him Abba, an Aramaic word roughly translated as "Daddy," to show us how intimate our relationship with him is.

God the Father is the perfect example for all earthly fathers. He is holy, just and fair, but his most outstanding quality is love: Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8)

God's love motivates everything he does. Through his covenant with Abraham, he chose the Jews as his people, then nurtured and protected them, despite their frequent disobedience. In his greatest act of love, God the Father sent his only Son to be the perfect sacrifice for the sin of all humanity, Jews and Gentiles alike.

The Bible is God's love letter to the world, divinely inspired by him and written by more than 40 human authors. In it, God gives his Ten Commandments for righteous living, instructions on how to pray and obey him, and shows how to join him in heaven when we die, by believing in Jesus Christ as our Savior.

Accomplishments of God the Father:

God the Father created the universe and everything in it. He is a big God but at the same time is a personal God who knows each person's every need. Jesus said God knows us so well he has numbered every hair on each person's head.

God set a plan in place to save humanity from itself. Left to ourselves, we would spend eternity in hell because of our sin. God graciously sent Jesus to die in our place, so that when we choose him, we can choose God and heaven.

God the Father's plan for salvation is lovingly based on his grace, not on human works. Only Jesus' righteousness is acceptable to God the Father. Repenting of sin and accepting Christ as Savior makes us justified, or righteous, in God's eyes.

God the Father has triumphed over Satan. Despite Satan's evil influence in the world, he is a defeated foe. God's final victory is certain.

Strengths of God the Father:

God the Father is omnipotent (all powerful), omniscient (all knowing), and omnipresent (everywhere).

He is absolute holiness. No darkness exists within him.

God is just yet merciful. He gave humans the gift of free will, by not forcing anyone to follow him. Anyone who rejects God's offer of forgiveness of sins is responsible for the consequences of their decision.

God cares. He intervenes in the lives of people. He answers prayer and reveals himself through his Word (the Bible), circumstances, and people.

God is sovereign. He is in complete control, no matter what is happening in the world. His ultimate plan always overrules humankind.

Life Lessons:

A human lifetime is not long enough to learn about God, but the Bible is the best place to start. While the Word itself never changes, God miraculously teaches us something new about him every time we read it.

Simple observation shows that people who do not have God are lost, both figuratively and literally. They have only themselves to rely on in times of trouble, and will have only themselves--not God and his blessings--in eternity.

God the Father can be known only through faith, not reason. Unbelievers demand physical proof. Jesus Christ supplied that proof, by fulfilling prophecy, healing the sick, raising the dead, and rising from death himself, but most people in his own time would not believe their own eyes.

Hometown:

God has always existed. His very name, Yahweh, means "I AM", indicating that he always has been and always will be. The Bible does not reveal what he was doing before he created the universe, but it does say that God is in heaven, with Jesus sitting at his right hand.

Referenced in the Bible:

The entire Bible is the story of God the Father, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and God's plan for salvation. Despite being written thousands of years ago, the Bible is always relevant to our lives because God is always relevant to our lives.

Occupation:

God the Father is the Supreme Being, Creator and Sustainer, deserving of human worship and obedience. In the First Commandment, God warns us not to put anyone or anything above him.

Family Tree:

First Person of the Trinity - God the Father
Second Person of the Trinity - Jesus Christ
Third Person of the Trinity - Holy Spirit

Key Verses:

Genesis 1:31
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.

Exodus 3:14
God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" 

Psalm 121:1-2
I lift up my eyes to the mountains--where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 

John 14:8-11
Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us." Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves."

Obedience to God

From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible has a lot to say about obedience. In the story of the Ten Commandments, we see how important the concept of obedience is to God. Deuteronomy 11:26–28 sums it up like this: "Obey and you will be blessed. Disobey and you will be cursed."

In the New Testament, we learn through the example of Jesus Christ that believers are called to a life of obedience.

What is the Biblical Definition of Obedience?The general concept of obedience both in the Old and New Testament relates to hearing or hearkening to a higher authority. One of the Greek terms for obedience conveys the idea of positioning oneself under someone by submitting to their authority and command. Another Greek word for obey in the New Testament means "to trust."

According to Holman's Illustrated Bible Dictionary a succinct definition of biblical obedience is "to hear God's Word and act accordingly."

Eerdman's Bible Dictionary says, "True 'hearing,' or obedience, involves the physical hearing that inspires the hearer, and a belief or trust that in turn motivates the hearer to act in accordance with the speaker's desires."

So, biblical obedience means, simply, to hear, trust, submit and surrender to God and obey his Word.
Jesus Calls Us to Obedience In Jesus Christ we find the perfect model of obedience. As his disciples, we follow Christ's example as well as his commands. Our motivation for obedience is love:

John 14:15
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 

Obedience is an Act of Worship While the Bible places strong emphasis on obedience, it's important to remember that believers are not justified (made righteous) by our obedience. Salvation is a free gift of God, and we can do nothing to merit it.

True Christian obedience flows from a heart of gratitude for the grace we have received from the Lord:

Romans 12:1
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 

God Rewards Obedience Over and over again we read in the Bible that God blesses and rewards obedience:

Genesis 22:18
"And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me."

Exodus 19:5
Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me.

Luke 11:28
Jesus replied, "But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice."

James 1:22–25
But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

Obedience to God Proves Our Love

1 John 5:2–3
By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.

2 John 6
And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.

Obedience to God Demonstrates Our Faith

1 John 2:3–6
And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, "I know God," but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God's word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.

Obedience is Better Than Sacrifice

1 Samuel 15:22–23
But Samuel replied, "What is more pleasing to the LORD: your burnt offerings and sacrifices or your obedience to his voice? Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams. Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."
Disobedience Leads to Sin and Death The disobedience of Adam brought sin and death into the world. But Christ's perfect obedience restores our fellowship with God, for everyone who believes in him.

Romans 5:19
For as by the one man's [Adam's] disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's [Christ's] obedience the many will be made righteous.

1 Corinthians 15:22
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
Through Obedience We Experience the Blessings of Holy Living Only Jesus Christ is perfect, therefore, only he could walk in sinless obedience. But as we allow the Holy Spirit to transform us from within, we grow in holiness.

Psalm 119:1–8
Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. Joyful are those who obey his laws and search for him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in his paths.

You have charged us to keep your commandments carefully. Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands. As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should! I will obey your decrees. Please don't give up on me!

Isaiah 48:17–19
This is what the LORD says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow. Oh, that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea. Your descendants would have been like the sands along the seashore—too many to count! There would have been no need for your destruction, or for cutting off your family name."

2 Corinthians 7:1
Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.

The verse above says, "Let us work toward complete holiness." So, we don't learn obedience overnight; it's a lifelong process that we pursue by making it a daily goal.

Basics to Prayer

Have you struggled with prayer? Does prayer seem like an exercise in eloquent speech that you just don't possess?

Prayer is not a mysterious practice reserved only for clergy and the religiously devout. Prayer is simply communicating with God—listening and talking to him. Believers can pray from the heart, freely, spontaneously, and in their own words. If prayer is a difficult area for you, learn these basics principles of prayer and how to apply them in your life.

What Does the Bible Have to Say About Prayer?

The Bible has a lot to say about prayer. The first mention of prayer is found in Genesis, chapter 4.

Genesis 4:26
And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the LORD.

What is the Correct Posture for Prayer?

There is no correct or certain posture for prayer. In the Bible people prayed on their knees (1 Kings 8:54), bowing (Exodus 4:31), on their faces before God (2 Chronicles 20:18; Matthew 26:39), and standing (1 Kings 8:22). You may pray with your eyes opened or closed, quietly or out loud—however you are most comfortable and least distracted.

Should I Use Eloquent Words?

Your prayers need not be wordy or impressive in speech.

Matthew 6:7
"When you pray, don't babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered only by repeating their words again and again." 

Ecclesiastes 5:2
Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. 

Why Should I Pray?

Prayer Develops Our Relationship with God. 
If we never speak to our spouse or never listen to anything our spouse might have to say to us, our marriage relationship will quickly deteriorate. It is the same way with God. Prayer—communicating with God—helps us grow closer and more intimately connected with God.

Zechariah 13:9 
I will bring that group through the fire and make them pure, just as gold and silver are refined and purified by fire. They will call on my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'These are my people,' and they will say, 'The LORD is our God.' " 

John 15:7
But if you stay joined to me and my words remain in you, you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted! 

The Lord Instructed Us to Pray. 
One of the simplest reasons to spend time in prayer is because the Lord instructed us to pray. Obedience is a natural by-product of discipleship.

Matthew 26:41
"Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak!" 

Luke 18:1
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.

Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

(See also - Matthew 7:7 and 1 Timothy 2:8)

What If I Don't Know How to Pray?

The Holy Spirit will help you in prayer when you don't know how to pray.

Romans 8:26-27
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.

Staying Free from Bitterness as a Single Christian

Maybe you've slipped into the bitterness trap unaware. You have wanted to get married for some time now. You have even told God that you deserve to be happy and in love. But no matter how hard you've prayed, God doesn't seem to care.

3 Reasons to Avoid Bitterness

When you're not married but you want to be, it's very easy to become bitter.

Christians hear sermons on how obedience brings blessings, and you wonder why God won't bless you with a spouse. You obey God to the best of your ability, you pray that you'll meet the right person, and yet it doesn't happen.

It's even tougher when friends or relatives have happy marriages and children. You ask, "Why not me, God? Why can't I have what they have?"

Long term frustration can lead to anger, and anger can degenerate into bitterness. Often you don't even realize you've slipped into a resentful attitude. If that's happened to you, here are three good reasons to get out of that trap.

Bitterness Damages Your Relationship With God

Bitterness can put you in an adversarial relationship with God. You blame him because you're not married and think he's punishing you for some reason. That's dead wrong, because Scripture says God is not only enormously in love with you, but that his love is constant and unconditional.

God wants to help you, not hurt you: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." (Isaiah 41:10)

Your intimate, personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the source of your strength when things are going wrong. Bitterness forgets hope. Bitterness misdirects your focus onto your problem, instead of on God.

Bitterness Alienates You From Other People

If you want to be married, a bitter attitude can scare off a potential spouse. Think about it. Who wants to become involved with a person who is nasty and cynical? You wouldn't want a spouse with those qualities, would you?

Your bitterness inadvertently punishes your family and friends. Eventually they'll get tired of tiptoeing around your touchiness, and they'll just leave you alone. Then you'll be more lonely than ever.

Like God, they love you and want to help. They want the best for you, but bitterness pushes them away. They're not to blame. They're not your enemy. Your true enemy, the one who is telling you that you have every right to be bitter, is Satan. Discouragement and bitterness are two of his favorite ways to draw you away from God.

Bitterness Detours You From Your Best Self

You're not a negative, harsh person. You don't snap at people, put yourself down, and refuse to see any good in life. That's just not you, but you've taken a detour from your best self. You've gotten onto the wrong road.

Besides being on the wrong road, you've got a sharp pebble in your shoe, but you're too stubborn to stop and remove it. Shaking out that pebble and getting back on the right road takes a conscious decision on your part. You are the only one who can end your bitterness, but you have to choose to do it.

3 Steps to Freedom from Bitterness

You take the first step by going to God and asking him to be in charge of your justice. You've been hurt and you want justice, but that's his job, not yours. He is the One who makes things right. When you return that responsibility to him, you'll feel a heavy load come off your back.

You take the second step by thanking God for all the good things you have. By concentrating on the positive instead of the negative, you'll gradually find joy returning to your life. When you understand that bitterness is a choice, you'll learn to reject it and choose peace and contentment instead.

You take the last step by enjoying and loving other people again. There's nothing more attractive than a joy-filled, loving person. When you make that the emphasis of your life, who knows what good things might happen?

How to forgive with God's help...

Learning how to forgive others is one of the most unnatural duties in the Christian life.

It goes against our human nature. Forgiving is a supernatural act that Jesus Christ was capable of, but when we are hurt by someone, we want to hold a grudge. We want justice. Sadly, we don't trust God with that.

There is a secret to successfully living the Christian life, however, and that same secret applies when we're struggling with how to forgive.

How to Forgive: Understanding Our Worth

We are all wounded. We are all inadequate. On our best days, our self-esteem hovers somewhere between feeble and fragile. All it takes is disapproval—or perceived disapproval—to send us staggering. These attacks bother us because we forget who we really are.

As believers, you and I are forgiven children of God. We have been lovingly adopted into his royal family as his sons and daughters. Our true worth comes from our relationship to him, not from our appearance, our performance or our net worth. When we remember that truth, criticism bounces off us like BBs ricocheting off a rhino. The trouble is that we forget.

We seek others' approval. When they reject us instead, it hurts. By taking our eyes off God and his acceptance and putting them on the conditional acceptance of our boss, spouse, or friend, we set ourselves up to be hurt. We forget that other people are incapable of unconditional love.

How to Forgive: Understanding Others

Even when other people's criticism is valid, it's still hard to take. It reminds us that we have failed in some way. We didn't measure up to their expectations, and often when they remind us of that, tact is low on their priority list.

Sometimes our critics have ulterior motives. An old proverb from India goes, "Some men try to be tall by cutting off the heads of others." They try to make themselves feel better by making others feel bad. You have probably had the experience of being put down by a nasty remark. When that happens, it is easy to forget that others are broken just like us.

Jesus understood the brokenness of the human condition. No one knows the human heart like him. He forgave tax collectors and prostitutes, and forgave his best friend Peter, for betraying him. On the cross, he even forgave the people who killed him. He knows that humans—all humans—are weak.

For us, though, it usually doesn't help to know that those who have hurt us are weak. All we know is that we were injured and we can't seem to get over it. Jesus' command in the Lord's Prayer seems too hard to obey: "And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors." (Mark 6:12)

How to Forgive: Understanding the Trinity's Role

When we have been hurt, our instinct is to hurt back. We want to make the other person pay for what they did. But exacting revenge steps over the line into God's territory, as Paul warned,

Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. (Romans 12:19)

If we cannot take revenge, then we must forgive. God commands it. But how? How can we let it go when we have been unjustly hurt?

The answer lies in understanding the Trinity's role in forgiveness. Christ's role was to die for our sins. God the Father's role was to accept Jesus' sacrifice on our behalf and forgive us. Today, the Holy Spirit's role is to enable us to do those things in the Christian life we cannot do on our own, namely forgive others because God has forgiven us.

Refusing to forgive leaves an open wound in our soul that festers into bitterness, resentment, and depression. For our own good, and the good of the person who hurt us, we simply must forgive. Just as we trust God for our salvation, we have to trust him to make things right when we forgive. He will heal our wound so we can move on.

In his book, Landmines in the Path of the Believer, Charles Stanley says:

We are to forgive so that we may enjoy God's goodness without feeling the weight of anger burning deep within our hearts. Forgiveness does not mean we recant the fact that what happened to us was wrong. Instead, we roll our burdens onto the Lord and allow Him to carry them for us.

Rolling our burdens onto the Lord—that's the secret of the Christian life, and the secret of how to forgive. Trusting God. Depending on him instead of ourselves. It's a hard thing but not a complicated thing. It's the only way we can truly forgive.

The Christmas Story: Born for a Purpose

By David E. Owen

Luke 2:1-12

As we study the events and details surrounding Jesus' birth, we realize that there is a great deal of suggestion found in the elements of His birth scene. For example, the fact that there was no room for them in the inn suggests that "He came unto His own, and His own received Him not" (John 1:11). Perhaps more than anything, the events surrounding His birth suggest the aspects of His death. We cannot build doctrine upon shadows and types, but we know that Jesus in a unique sense was, as Ron Hamilton wrote, "Born to die upon Calvary"; and even in His birth we see the shadow of His death. The cradle of Christmas points to the cross of Calvary. Let's notice some things about His birth and then draw some parallels with His death.

I. Let's Consider The Places Involved In His Birth And In His DeathWe immediately see a foundational comparison between these two events. For in Luke 2:6-7, "the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son." We know then that His mother delivered Him in birth. But we also know that His Father delivered Him in death, for the Bible mentions "He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all" (Romans 8:32). As we begin . . .

Bethlehem lies roughly six miles to the southwest of Jerusalem, and the two events that we're talking about were separated by a span of 33 years. Yet we discover a fascinating intersection of thought between these two places as we survey the similarities between the birth of Jesus at Bethlehem and His death at Jerusalem.

A. In Both Of These Places We See The Overwhelming Crowd. The Bible tells us "there was no room for them in the inn" (vs. 7). Because of the taxation or census of Augustus, Bethlehem would have been filled well beyond capacity. And while hospitality was, according to some writers, a key element of Jewish life, the homes and private guest chambers had all been filled long before the arrival of Joseph and Mary. Thirty-three years after his birth, the Bible mentions a "multitude" in Jerusalem (Luke 23:1), and then we are told that as Jesus was led to Calvary "there followed him a great company of people" (Luke 23:27). Just as 33 years earlier a census had gathered a crowd, now, 33 years later, a crucifixion had gathered a crowd. We might also contrast the "multitude of the heavenly host" that wanted to glorify Him in Luke 2:13 with the multitude of the hateful host that wanted to "Crucify Him" in Luke 23:21.

B. In Both Of These Places We See Outside The Camp. The Greek word for "inn" in Luke 2:7 implies some type of simple building of varying size known as a khan or a kataluma, and these would offer the traveler the protection of walls and a roof, and water, but little more. According to Cunningham Geikie, often the inn would consist of a rectangular outer perimeter of rooms surrounding an open square. If this was the case in Bethlehem, then they were forced to go outside of the rectangular, enclosed area of the inn to accommodate the birth of Jesus. Just as there was no place to receive Him in birth, there was no pardon to release him from death. For "they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him" (Luke 23:21). And the Bible tells us that Jesus "that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate" (Hebrews 13:12). Just as they had gone outside of the rectangular, enclosed inn for his birth - they had gone outside the walls of the city of Jerusalem for his death.

C. In Both Of These Places We See The Overshadowed Circumstances. Then as darkness crept across the Judean hills and valleys around Bethlehem, Mary began to experience the pain and sorrow of childbirth as "she brought forth her firstborn son" (vs. 7). Jesus would later speak of the pains of childbirth when He said, "A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world" (John 16:21). He essentially said that in the process of birth, joy follows sorrow. And His particular birth brought joy, not just to a woman, but joy to a world. Similarly, at the time of Jesus' death in Jerusalem, the Bible says that "there was darkness over the whole land" (Mark 15:33). And "Jesus ... for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2). He knew that in the process of His death upon the cross, joy would follow sorrow.

II. Let's Consider The Personalities Involved In His Birth And In His Death

To read of the Nativity of Christ and the Passion of Christ is to become acquainted with a number of individuals. The categorical diversity of the sexes is not a limitation, for in both of these wonderful events, we find the involvement of both men and women. Cosmological diversity of spheres is not an issue, for we find the inclusion of both human beings and heavenly beings.

A. There Are Those Who Have A Close Involvement In These Events. After His birth, two individuals were closely present - a man named Joseph and a woman named Mary. Perhaps it was Joseph that "wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger" (Luke 2:7) as Mary looked on. Correspondingly, after His death, three were closely present - a man named Joseph and two women named Mary. Mark tells us that Joseph of Arimathaea "bought fine linen, and took Him (Jesus) down, and wrapped Him in the linen, and laid Him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone unto the door of the sepulchre. And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where He was laid" (Mark 15:46-47).

B. There Are Those Who Have A Connected Involvement In These Events. It still thrills my heart to hear of the abiding watchmen, these shepherds, who were "abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night" (Luke 2:8). Every shepherd may have been "an abomination unto the Egyptians" (Genesis 46:34), but these particular shepherds have had the privilege of being indelibly connected to the herald angel who announced the birth and visitation of the Divine One. But in like manner, we also see the attending women who, "when the sabbath was past . . . had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint" Jesus after His death (Mark 16:1). "And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment" (Mark 16:5). And it is here that we find their connection to the angel who announced the victory of the dead One Who was now risen.

C. There Are Those Who Have A Comforting Involvement In These Events. In the time following the birth of Jesus, when the angel of the Lord interrupted the stillness and silence of night, the Bible says that the shepherds "were sore afraid" (Luke 2:9). But then we're informed of the comforting words of this celestial being who said, "Fear not" (Luke 2:10). What a comfort to know that a Saviour is born (as we read in Luke 2:11), that He has come forth from the womb! Likewise, in the days following the death of Jesus, We again find an angel making a comforting announcement to some very frightened people. We might even say that these women were "sore afraid" as they saw this whitely robed young man. But "he saith unto them, Be not affrighted" (Mark 16:6). In other words, "Fear not." What a comfort to know that "He is risen" (Mark 16:6), that He had come forth from the tomb!

III. Let's Consider The Particulars Involved In His Birth And In His Death

The French novelist Gustave Flaubert said, "God is in the details." I do not dispute this. In fact, as we continue to observe these striking comparisons between the birth and death of the Lord Jesus, the more I am convinced that there was Divine design in all of these details. It seems increasingly clear that the Blessed Babe of Bethlehem was meant to be the Crucified Christ of Calvary. It seems increasingly certain that this same Jesus was born to die. Let's look at some particular aspects that bear this out.

A. Notice The Particular Clothes In These Two Situations. The Bible tells us in Luke 2:7 that Mary "brought forth her firstborn son," and perhaps Joseph assisted by wrapping the baby "in swaddling clothes." In his book on Bible manners and customs, James Freeman describes the swaddling process. He writes, "They tightly wrapped His body and limbs in these broad strips of common cloth to protect the baby's weak limbs. Miss Rogers, an English lady (who had traveled extensively in Palestine), describes the appearance of an infant thus bandaged: ‘The infant I held in my arms was so bound in swaddling-clothes that it was perfectly firm and solid, and looked like a mummy'." In the same fashion, after his death, Joseph of Arimathaea "bought fine linen, and took (Jesus) down, and wrapped Him in the linen." No doubt, the body was so wrapped "that it was perfectly firm and solid, and looked like a mummy."

B. Notice The Particular Cots In These Two Situations. At the time of His birth, Jesus was laid in a crib. And I use the term "crib" in both senses of the word - both a baby's bed and a feeding trough. We see Him laid in this "manger" (Luke 2:7), which was thought by some to be a hewn-out or hollowed-out piece of rock. James Freeman indicated that archaeologists discovered mangers in the region that were "cut out of limestone and were approximately three feet long, eighteen inches wide, and two feet deep." Just as He was laid in a hollowed out stone crib after His birth, He was laid in a hollowed out stone crypt after His death. For the Bible tells us in Mark 15:46 that Joseph of Arimathaea "laid him in a sepulchre which was hewn out of a rock." And in all likelihood, the stone slab inside this hollowed out rock also had a length twice the measure of the width. My dear friend, all of these comparisons cannot be mere coincidence. I say again that it points us to the fact that He was born to die!

C. Notice The Particular Contrast In These Two Situations. As intriguing as the comparisons are between His birth and His death, the truly inspiring element in all of this is seen in a point of contrast. After the birth of Christ, the angel came and said to the scared shepherds, "Fear not . . . Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger" (Luke 2:10-12). Basically, they were told that if they looked in that hollowed out piece of rock, they would find the Saviour. But here's the critical and notable difference. Three days after the death of Christ, the angel came and said to the worried women, "Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. Come; see the place where the Lord lay" (Matthew 28:5-6). Basically, they were told that if they looked in that hollowed out piece of rock, they would not find the Lord. Why? "For He is risen as He said!" Truly, He was born to die, but He died to live again, and now He is alive forevermore!

F. W. Farrar wrote, "As the east catches at sunset the colors of the west, so Bethlehem is a prelude to Calvary, and even the infant's cradle is tinged with a crimson reflection from the Redeemer's cross." Farrar wrote this specifically of the circumcision of Jesus, but as we have observed these numerous comparisons, we realize that it applies to so much more. As we celebrate Christmas again this year, if you only see the babe of Bethlehem, you've missed out. Jesus is not just a son in a manger. He's the Savior of mankind!

___________

David E. Owen is Pastor of Piney Grove Baptist Church in Acworth, GA.

The Promise of Peace on Earth

By Marvin A. McMickle | Senior Pastor of Antioch Baptist Church, Cleveland, Ohio

Luke 2:1-14

For the last week I have tried to keep my ears and my heart open as people have spoken about the word peace in my hearing. It is not that I was asking them to define the term for me. Instead, it was a matter of different people talking about their concern for peace from different points of view. Some of the voices and opinions about peace came to me by way of the news media. Some of the voices came from the world of entertainment. Others came from people with whom I was in conversation who were talking with me about the word peace.

Here are some of the opinions and points of view about peace that came to me just this week. There was a story in The New York Times about a doctor from the Central African Republic who left his country to study medicine in France. After several decades as a physician and researcher, the article said "he decided to leave the peace and security of his life in France in order to bring much-needed medical care to the people of his homeland." In this case, peace was a physical location and an economic position that guaranteed happiness and security. Is that what the angels meant when they spoke of "peace on earth"?

A second reference to the word peace that I encountered this week occurred when an evacuee from New Orleans sat in my office and said with a heavy sigh that more than anything else, he wanted some peace. For this person, peace involved the end of the emotional upheaval that tens of thousands of displaced persons from that city still feel to this day. Peace would be a sense of once again feeling settled in some permanent home and knowing that their lives will eventually be restored to some order and normalcy. The peace desired by the man from New Orleans was not that much different from what the man from France had given up in returning home to Africa. One man was in search of peace and the other man had given it up, but was either man experiencing what the angels intended in the skies over Bethlehem?

Another reference to peace came to mind when I read the words of a person who had come out of a 20-year addiction to heroin. When attempting to explain why his addiction lasted so long and why his attraction to that drug was so powerful, he said, "heroin gave me a little bit of peace for a short period of time." That person is not alone; our nation and the world are crowded with people whose only way to soothe their spirits and calm their troubled minds is an over-reliance on drugs or alcohol.

Then there are the words from "Ma Dear" in The Diary of a Mad Black Woman, which Peggy and I watched again on Friday night. Cicely Tyson was talking about the words "Peace, be still" that Jesus spoke to the winds and waves on the Sea of Galilee. Ma Dear reached into her purse and took out her hand gun and remarked that if you want to have some "peace be still" you better get yourself a "piece of steel." There are a great many people who seem to feel more at peace when they are carrying a gun. Is that what the angels had in mind on the night that Christ was born?

All of these references concern the same word: peace. Is peace found by moving to a location that affords a quality of life that insulates a person from risk and danger as with the African physician? Is peace a state of mind, a deep assurance that life is slowly being restored to order as with the evacuee from New Orleans? Is peace the buzz, the high, the altered state of mind that comes to addicts and alcoholics once they have greatly indulged in their drug of choice? Is peace the reassurance of a pistol in your purse or a gun in the glove box of your car? Is peace a political arrangement established by people who represent different nations in a series of events we commonly refer to as "a peace process"? Are any of these comments or conditions an accurate reflection of what the angels had in mind when they serenaded the city of Bethlehem with the promise of peace on earth on that night when Christ was born?

What do you and I mean when we employ the word peace? There are several things I know for sure that tell me that none of these earlier discussions of peace is entirely true. Let me suggest several things about peace. First, peace comes only from God, and nothing else of this world can offer the peace promised by the angels. Second, peace cannot be experienced by a single person or by a certain group of persons if, at the same time, it is being denied or withheld from others. Peace is as much between us as it is within us. Finally, the peace I want to see in the world must first be made alive in my own life. I cannot wait for peace to break out somewhere else; peace must begin with me!

Consider these aspects of peace one-by-one. First, the peace promised by God cannot be acquired through any of the countless consumer items of our materialistic society. Peace cannot be purchased, it cannot be charged with a credit card, it cannot be worn, it cannot be eaten, it cannot be driven and it cannot be hung in a closet or stored on a shelf or stashed in a safe deposit box. If the peace of God does not dwell in your heart, it cannot be found anywhere else. Too many people in our society are searching for peace in the shopping mall. They think if they can just make one more purchase and acquire one more possession, they will reach a state of contentment.

Are you one of those shop-a-holics who places shopping and buying and material things above everything else? There was a story in yesterday's Plain Dealer about a woman who was told by her husband that he would leave her if she did not stop so much shopping. Her response was, "Lord, I sure am going to miss that man." That person was convinced that nothing could replace the thrill and satisfaction that comes from buying some new, desirable item. Peace does not come out of your closet, your wallet, your refrigerator or your garage. If peace does not come out of your heart, it will not come into your life at all.

Peace is the certain knowledge that everything we have been told about God is true and certain. I have peace in times of crisis because I know "the Lord will make a way somehow." I have peace in the time of death because I know "when the earthly house we live in shall be destroyed, we have another building, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." I have peace in times of temptation because I know God who will "keep me from falling."

Peace is our deeply held conviction that wars will stop not when one army defeats another but rather when all armies "beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooksÉand study war no more." In other words, peace comes as I rely less and less on the things of this world and rely more and more on the promises of God. That is why Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) can declare, "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you."

Peace is not limited or reserved for those times in life when everything is in perfect order. Peace is not the absence of tension or hardship; peace is the presence of tranquility within you in the midst of whatever storms may be raging around you. Peace is not a guarantor that every day will be easy and smooth. Instead, peace is the fruit of the spirit that blossoms in our souls and reminds us that even though we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we can fear no evil because God is with us.

Living with a spirit of peace in the midst of the storms of life is what Herman Melville was describing in the character of the harpooner in his novel Moby Dick. Melville portrays all of the characters on the whaling vessel busy at work as they seek out the great whale that has become the obsession of Captain Ahab. Everybody on board is furiously at work except one, the harpooner. The harpooner is sitting still and undisturbed. The harpooner is not caught up in the frenzy that involves a ship sailing through a storm to catch up to and then kill a giant whale. Instead, says Melville, "The harpooner sits in tranquility and rises with a sense of calm to do his work." The storm and the fury are going on all around him, but the harpooner is able to maintain a sense of tranquility and calm that allows him to do his job.

That is what peace looks like: tranquility and calm in the midst of the storms of life that allow you to get on with your life and do what needs to be done. That kind of peace does not come from anything this world can provide. That kind of peace comes only from God and, more precisely, from our relationship with God.

Peace is not only my inward conviction that God will sustain me in the midst of all of life's crises but must also be a shared state of well-being enjoyed by all people. I cannot live in peace in a vacuum. My household cannot attempt to be at peace while those who live across the street or around the corner or on the other side of the world still find their world in chaos and torment. In other words, peace cannot simply be within us; peace must also exist between us. If you and I are out of fellowship with one another, then I cannot be at peace no matter what I possess or what I know. If my actions bring hurt or harm or humiliation to another human being, then I cannot be at peace because I have caused the distress of someone else.

That is the lesson this country and this world have to keep learning over and over again. There can be no peace as a nation if we seek to hurt, harm and/or humiliate other nations. We cannot increase our sense of peace by waging war on others.

Is there anybody in your life with whom you ought to be in fellowship but instead you are not on speaking terms? Are you trying to have peace in your life while there is trouble in your relationships with family, friends and co-workers? I say again, there can be no peace within us until there is peace between us. That is what Christ came to make possible: reconciliation among us. Christ came to give us the power to make peace among ourselves. We can speak the words of forgiveness. We can allow a person who has failed us once to walk on the path of second chances. Our lives will be so much richer and our burdens will be so much lighter when we set aside those things that stand between us and those who are closest to us. There can be no peace within us until there is peace between us.

The promise of the angel of Bethlehem was for "peace on earth." That does not mean prosperity for us and grinding poverty everywhere else in the world. That does not mean that some people have access to medical care while millions cannot afford to see a doctor. Peace can never be fully enjoyed by some when it is being denied or withheld or made unavailable or unaffordable for so many others. Whatever the angels were announcing that day in Bethlehem, they wanted all of the people on the earth to fully share in its benefits.

Finally, if peace is ever going to occur on the earth, we cannot wait for somebody else to make the first move; peace must begin with us. We must initiate the action and tell someone, "I am sorry." We must go first and tell someone, "I forgive you." We must lead the way, set the good example and start doing in our own lives those things we would hope to see others do some day. It was Mahatma Gandhi who said, "We must be the change we hope to see in others." If there is going to be peace on earth, then I have to be willing to initiate the action that can bring about that peace. The world will not be substantively changed if all of us simply wait for somebody else to make the first move. Peace must begin with us.

Now remember that we are not making the first move in the process of peace; God has already done that in Bethlehem. God did not wait for us to get ourselves together before He entered into human affairs. Paul says, "While we were still sinning" Christ died for the ungodly (Rom. 5:8). That verse can be translated in a verbal form so that the word "sinning" is emphasized as an ongoing act. Or it can be translated in a noun form so that "while we were yet sinners Christ died for the ungodly." Either way, God was not waiting for us to make the first move. God initiated the peace treaty and waited for us to respond. God has already made the first move; now all we have to do is respond in that spirit toward one another.

There was a member of our church who we had approached about 15 years ago to join the deacon board. That person declined our invitation because, as he put it, "I am not through sinning yet." We did not pursue any of the specifics of the issue in an attempt to find out what further sins he needed more time to perform. We simply took him at his word. As strange as that story may sound to you, that person is exactly the kind of person God is after. God seeks us while we are still sinners. God seeks us while we are still sinning. God goes first and then invites us to respond to what He has already done.

I have a friend named Wayne Snodgrass who has the most unusual message on his telephone answering machine. The message says: "This is Pastor Snodgrass. Now, you say something." In other words, he has made the first move, and the next move is up to the person on the other end of the phone. He has said all he is going to say; now the burden shifts to the other person. That is what God did for us in the Incarnation; God showed up in the person of Jesus Christ as if to say, "This is God. Now you say something. I have done My part. Now you do something. I have made the first move. Now you move in response to what I have already done."

That is how peace is made; somebody has to make the first move. A holy God made peace with a sinful world by coming in the person of Jesus Christ and taking away the burden of our sins. Now that same God looks to each one of us and expects us to respond. Make the first move and invite somebody else to respond. Reach out over some wall of division and challenge somebody to reach back in forgiveness and love. Do not stand by and wait for someone else to make the first move. Follow the example of my friend: "This is Pastor Snodgrass. Now you say something."

You do something. You give something. You change something. Let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me!

What is Forgiveness?

What is forgiveness? Are believers considered clean by God? And what should our attitude be toward others who have hurt us?

Two types of forgiveness appear in the Bible: God's pardon of our sins, and our obligation to pardon others. This subject is so important that our eternal destiny depends upon it.

What is Forgiveness by God?

Mankind has a sinful nature. Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, and humans have been sinning against God ever since.

God loves us too much to let us destroy ourselves in Hell. He provided a way for us to be forgiven, and that way is through Jesus Christ. Jesus confirmed that in no uncertain terms when he said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) God's plan of salvation was to send Jesus, his only Son, into the world as a sacrifice for our sins.

That sacrifice was necessary to satisfy God's justice. Moreover, that sacrifice had to be perfect and spotless. Because of our sinful nature, we cannot repair our broken relationship with God on our own. Only Jesus was qualified to do that for us. At the Last Supper, on the night before his crucifixion, he took a cup of wine and told his apostles, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins." (Matthew 26:28)

The next day, Jesus died on the cross, taking the punishment due us, and atoning for our sins. On the third day after that, he rose from the dead, conquering death for all who believe in him as Savior. John the Baptist and Jesus commanded that we repent, or turn away from our sins to receive God's forgiveness. When we do, our sins are forgiven, and we are assured of eternal life in heaven.

What is Forgiveness of Others?

As believers, our relationship with God is restored, but what about our relationship with our fellow human beings? The Bible states that when someone hurts us, we are under an obligation to God to forgive that person. Jesus is very clear on this point:

Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Refusing to forgive is a sin. If we receive forgiveness from God, we must give it to others who hurt us. We cannot hold grudges or seek revenge. We are to trust God for justice and forgive the person who offended us. That does not mean we must forget the offense, however; usually that's beyond our power. Forgiveness means releasing the other from blame, leaving the event in God's hands, and moving on.

We may resume a relationship with the person if we had one, or we may not if one did not exist before. Certainly the victim of a crime has no obligation to become friends with the criminal. We leave it to the courts and to God to judge them.

What is forgiveness? The entire Bible points to Jesus Christ and his divine mission to save us from our sins. The Apostle Peter summed it up like this:

Acts 10:39-43
We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.