| We will NOT meet on Sunday at 10:30 at the Jordan home 5209 West Oaks Drive Fuquay-Varina. WE WILL TAKE A ONE WEEK HIATUS. I want you to imagine for just a moment Jesus singing praise unto the Father, giving thanks for His bride and family in you and me. And, He as, yes!, Savior, yes!, Redeemer, yes! Author and Finisher of our faith, but most of all as LORD, King, and our God, standing before the most Holy Father and declaring that He is not ashamed to call you and I His brother/sister. Such is the inspiration of the writer of Hebrews in declaring Jesus victory over death when he records [Hebrews 2:9-13 NASB95] 9 But we do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, [namely,] Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. 10 For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. 11 For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one [Father;] for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren, 12 saying, “I WILL PROCLAIM YOUR NAME TO MY BRETHREN, IN THE MIDST OF THE CONGREGATION I WILL SING YOUR PRAISE.” 13 And again, “I WILL PUT MY TRUST IN HIM.” And again, “BEHOLD, I AND THE CHILDREN WHOM GOD HAS GIVEN ME.” Oh what a vision of glory! Jesus has been crowned with glory and honor having tasted death for all, and conquered death for all. And, He has brought many sons to glory perfecting, that is completing, their salvation by and through His suffering. Nothing can be added to, nor subtracted from, what He has done in provision of salvation at the cross where He proclaimed “it is finished”. It is complete. And, the result of that glory is that the one who sanctifies and those He sanctified are one, and have one Father so that He (Jesus the sanctifier and author to the faith of the sanctified) has no shame…(imagine that, no shame) in calling them (the likes of you and me) brethren, brothers/sisters. And indeed, He will, and does, proclaim the name of God the Father to his brothers and sings God’s praise in the midst of them being assembled/gathered. Is it any wonder that Paul speaks of us living to the “praise of His glory” as he speaks of God’s purpose and will for us, and our inheritance in Jesus. For there to be an inheritance someone must taste death. In His death, by the will and purpose of God we received a glorious inheritance. And,…So did the Father. Yes! We received eternal life. But so much more, in that our life in Christ, our life out of death, our being born again, our being born from above, has made us to be those that have become the praise of glory of Jesus in conquering death,…. and made us to become the inheritance delivered to the Father as His own possession [Ephesians 1:11-14 NASB95] 11 also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, 12 to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation–having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of [God’s own] possession, to the praise of His glory. [Ephesians 1:18 NASB95] 18 [I pray that] the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints.. The writer of Hebrews also quotes Isaiah referencing children God has given me. [Isaiah 8:18 NASB95] 18 Behold, I and the children whom the LORD has given me are for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD of hosts, who dwells on Mount Zion. The children the LORD has given are for signs and wonders in Israel from the LORD… they are to show and demonstrate His glory. (Perhaps to provoke Israel and the world to want to be His). These signs and wonders will be a testimony unto Him, and be to the praise of His glory. What a joy to be His possession, His children, holy ones in Him that Jesus is not ashamed to call brothers. But what a responsibility it is as well. He is not ashamed to call us brothers! Hmmm…. I must confess that I, and I’m afraid we, are all too often silenced by fear to proclaim His name and call Him Father and brother. Hmmmm? Help me/us Holy Spirit for all of creation is waiting for us to manifest the praise of His glory. [Romans 8:16-21 NASB95] 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with [Him] so that we may also be glorified with [Him.] 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. |
February 11, 2024 – He is not ashamed to call us brethren. We are to live to the praise of His glory.
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