CONSIDER HIM

Heb. 12:3

Morning Meditation 5/28/17

Verse 3 says, “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

This is the season where the focus is on the Babe in a manger. I personally enjoy the season. It brings families together in America and in other christian communities around the world probably as nothing else. While we enjoy the company of one another we do not need to lose sight of Him. So in this meditation I want us to consider Him.

The word “consider” translates “analogizomai” and means, “to think over, consider, ponder.” We get our word analogy from this word and in English it means, “Similarity in some respects between things that are otherwise dissimilar.” It is an aorist middle imperative verb. The aorist tense and the middle voice suggests something like “stop and take a look at Him, it is imperative that you do so.”

FIRST, LET’S CONSIDER HIS BIRTH

His birth is the fulfillment of prophecy. This prophecy goes all the way back to the fall. Scholars agree that Genesis 3:15 is the first promise of Christ. God says to the serpent, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” Jesus was the “seed of Mary” not of Joseph. Isaiah 7:14 prophesies, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” We know this is a birth that was miraculously conceived from Matthew 1:23: “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” Jesus was born in fulfillment of prophecy.

His birth was unique. Isaac’s birth was a miraculous birth from the standpoint of conception after his parents were dead so far as their ability to have children is concerned: “And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara's womb” (Rom. 4:19). But the birth of Jesus was a birth totally apart from man. Joseph, nor any other man, had anything to do with the birth of Christ. This is the way God became a man without an old sin nature (Rom. 5:12). The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus is God. John 1:1, 14 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God . . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” There is a mass of Scripture that confirms His unique birth.

SECOND, LET’S CONSIDER HIS LIFE

His life was similar to that of any other child. He fed on His mother’s breasts. He was reared in the home of a carpenter. From the standpoint of His humanity He grew in wisdom and knowledge. Luke 2:40 says, “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.” He was in subjection to His earthly parents. Luke 2:51 says, “ And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.”

His life was one that moved in harmony with a predetermined plan. Matthew 1:22 says, “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet . . .” Matthew 2:15 says, “And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.” Matthew 2:23 says, “And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.” Jesus is God’s answer to man’s lost condition. He is God’s plan of salvation. In order to do this, He fulfilled the predetermined will of His Father in order to fulfill the requirements for the salvation of the believer.

He is the only One who ever lived on this earth of whom God could say, “I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17 says, “And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” He said this at the Lord’s baptism. This took place when Jesus was about 29 years of age. Who has ever lived on this earth for 29 years under the all seeing eye of God Almighty and could have Him say this? No one. “For all have sinned an come short of the glory of God.” Then in Matthew 17:5 at His transfiguration we find the words, “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” Then we find in Romans 1:4 these words, “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” The resurrection of Christ is a declaration of the “Spirit of holiness” and is the Father’s way of saying once again, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”

His life was without spot. Hebrews 9:14 says, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” 1 Peter 1:19 says, “But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:” Jesus had to be without sin as the Lamb of God to take away the sin of others. If He had sinned, He would have had to die for His own sins. But as the sinless Lamb of God He died for our sins. He offered Himself without spot to God, and thank God, He accepted the sacrifice of His Son for us.

THIRD, CONSIDER HIS DEATH

The birth of Christ was not enough. If Jesus had been born and lived without sin, and then gone back to heaven, the most His holy life could have offered is a perfect example. But Jesus did not come to set an example for us to follow so that we could be saved by our own efforts. He came to pay the penalty of sin for us. A penalty that we could not pay apart from being eternally separated from God. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” This is not just physical death. It is the second death spoken of in Revelation 20:14-15. There it says, “And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

The 70 disciples who were sent out with the message of Christ and empowered to work miracles in Luke 10 came back rejoicing that the devils were subject to them (See Lk. 10:17). Jesus said to them in verse 20 of that chapter, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.” Jesus said that is something to shout about.

The death of Jesus was for us. If one has trouble seeing the seriousness of his sin, he needs to look at what Jesus had to do to pay for his sins. One may say, “I’m not a bad sinner.” Let me ask you a question. “Did Jesus die for you?” If He did, then the sins you commit had to be serious enough to cause Him to have to die. If they caused the death of the God-man, the Eternal Son, you had better forget about considering the degree of your sin. You may not think you are bad. But if your sins caused the death of Jesus, YOU ARE BAD. The pride of man makes him want to argue his own righteousness for acceptance. This is the reason many do not come to Jesus for forgiveness. They do not believe that their condition is as serious as God says it is. Jesus died for us. This means He died in our place which means that we do not have to die (the second death). The believer dies in His death and is set free from the penalty of sin.

Romans 5:8 says, “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” (for us means in our place).

1 Corinthians 5:7 says, ”Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” (for us mean in our place).

2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (Note the result of His death for us: “that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him”).

Hebrews 9:24 says, “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.” (He is not just for the believer on the cross but also now in the presence of God).

Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (The place of “no condemnation” is “in Christ”).

FOURTH, CONSIDER HIS PROMISE TO COME AGAIN

God’s plan stretches out into eternity. He came to redeem a people for His name and has eternal plans for us. Ephesians 1:5-10 says, “Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him.”

Then in Ephesians 1:7 He says, “That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

God has a plan for eternity. Jesus said to His disciples in John 14:1-3, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” Jesus made this promise and believers through the ages have counted on this promise. We will not be disappointed. This is the strength of our faith when we make a pilgrimage by the grave to put some loved one away. We are strengthened because we know this is not the end. Jesus is coming and will resurrect the dead in Christ and change the living saints and catch us up together to be with Him forever (1 Thess. 4:13-18). Someone hold my mules!!! Hallelujah!!!

Let’s consider Him during this Christmas season. May the Lord give all of you a great holiday season. I love every one of you and pray over my mailing list daily.

In Christ

Bro. White