Jesus of Heaven

 

    Since God created humans He has wanted a relationship with each and every person.  God the father, son, and Holy Spirit were all there at creation and each had their part that carried out until the world ends.  The relationship with humans was always designed to be intimately close.  It was only when sin entered the world was the close relationship severed and has become work to have and maintain.

    Jesus was always in Heaven with God except for the short time that he became human and lived a human life.  God has always been with His people one way or another, but when Jesus lived as a human it changed everything for the better.  Jesus was God who became flesh to be conceived by the Holy Spirit in a virgin.  Sounds impossible, but it is true.

    Jesus' human life was low.  He was not born royal.  He had a very humble life of a servant not a king.  It was not a mistake.  God designed it that way intentionally to show His people how we need to live now.  When you join Jesus in Heaven, your true home, then you will receive your holy reward.  If you live your life faithfully following Jesus, then you know you can expect your place in Heaven with him.

    Jesus' home was always with God in Heaven, but He came to live as a human in loving obedience to God and for all humans.  It was not a mistake.  It was an event in the making since the fall of man.  He showed you how to repent, follow, and live your life with God.  He showed you how to hope for your eternity.  He taught you how to be obedient as an act of love.  His life is the example that you should follow.  

    After salvation, baptism is the first act of obedience before you start living your life with God.  If you can't obey there, then God can never trust you to obey in anything else.  Baptism is the physical anointing of the life you accepts in salvation.  It is a symbol of your empowerment to follow Jesus no matter what.  Jesus' baptism was the mark of the beginning of his public ministry.  He was no longer going to be subtle and hide what he could do.

    Jesus lived a fully human life, but he always understood the purpose.  He lived for you, me, and everyone else.  He always knew he would go home to join his father in heaven again.  He never questioned his purpose.  He embraced a fully human life to go through pain, hunger, thirst, sadness, being misunderstood, happiness, temptation, and everything else.  The only difference between human Jesus and you is that Jesus never sinned.  He sacrificed everything, so that you have a doorway to God.  

Genesis 1:1-2, 3:8, Matthew 4:1-11, 11:28-30, Mark 1:9-11, 2:13-17, 3:20-21, 6:1-3, Luke 2, John 1:14, 2:1-3, 4:4-8, Philippians 1:20-24, & Hebrews 2:16-18

Jesus the Messiah

 

    The world waited for Jesus for such a long time.  When he finally arrived almost no one seemed to notice.  Some people felt threatened, some found hope, some didn't acknowledge him, and some overlooked him.  It is not different today.  We have proof that Jesus is the promised Messiah, but most people still see him as a threat, ignore him, a prophet, or teacher.  So very few of us see Jesus for who he is and follow him.

    The Messiah is your deliverer from being forced to die to your sins.  He is the only hope to have your oppression removed.  He is the promise of hope fulfilled in a new covenant.  The new covenant offers salvation to anyone who believes and follows Jesus.  Salvation is easy.  It only requires faith.  Following Jesus can be hard because you may have to sacrifice everything you have including your life for God's purpose.  You do it because you love God who loved you enough to send Jesus.

    Jesus proved he is the Messiah by fulfilling more than 300 prophecies written about him.  He is the truth.  His love the real love that everyone needs.  He is the inspiration on how to live life.  There is no way Jesus could fulfill all those prophecies unless he is the real Messiah.  Some of the prophecies included time, locations, lineage, and death.  

    Jesus is a good teacher, but he is also the Messiah.  He was not a prophet because he fulfills prophecies.  There are more prophecies to come, but when he returns it is not to save the world.  Next time it will be to judge the world.  Your time is now.  You have not been promised a tomorrow.  What you do today matters.  Are you living out your faith or living for yourself?  Do you live the truth or do you adjust the truth to fit into your world?

    Jesus came as your deliverer.  He lived, died, resurrected, and ascended fully human and fully God.  He did this for you, me, and everyone else throughout all of time.  His deliverance can't be taken away if you accept it and live it.  It is spiritual freedom that liberates you from the chains of sin and mere survival.  Jesus gives your life purpose.  

Genesis 3:14-19, Isaiah 7:13-16, 9:6-7, 53:1-6, 61:1-3, Micah 5:2-6, & Luke 2:25-35

Theology of Jesus

 

    Jesus is fully God, but also fully Human.  He made all he is and put it in a human body to live like everyone else.  He sacrificed everything to become the doorway between humans and God.  He did it to be obedient and teach us how to love like God.

    We already established that God can't lie.  Since sin entered the world God had said that Jesus would come.  He laid it out over centuries for His people.  People misunderstood and misperceived over the decades, but Jesus came as promised.  He lived his life and sacrificed himself as predicted.  Then He rose again to change everything forever.  He went back home to be with God in all his glory, but not without promising that He will return again. 

    When Jesus left the world he didn't leave us alone.  The Holy Spirit came and lived in everyone who believes and follows Jesus.  He is the stamp of adoption into the holy family and proof that it is not a mythical story.  This is how you know it is all true.

    Jesus was born like all other babies, but his conception was different.  He was a healthy child growing up and gaining strength over the years like all children.  His life was very human, but also separate because of him being God.  He showed the world that it doesn't have to sin.  He showed the world how to live a different way.  He revealed everyone's need for God through his life as a human.

    Jesus never questioned who he was as a human.  He knew his purpose.  He knew he was holy.  That doesn't mean that he was never lonely or didn't feel like every other human feels.  He was secure in who he is and didn't allow feelings to dictate his purpose on earth.  He didn't seek attention.  He came to serve and teach people how to be humble servants to each other and God.  He loves all people to the point that he sacrificed himself to bear everyone's sins that are willing to follow him through faith.

    Living life following Jesus in faith does not mean that you have to be a martyr.  It doesn't mean that you have to suffer physically.  It does mean that you are willing to follow him no matter what.  As you mature and grow in faith it starts to make more sense.  You discover joy even when being persecuted.  You honor Jesus with your life because you love him and understand that nothing can ever separate you from him.  True Christians know that following Jesus leads to security that the world cannot provide.

John 1:1-18, 10:25-30, Romans 8:38-39, Philippians 2:1-11, Colossians 1:15-20, 3:1-4, & 1 Timothy 2:1-7

Understanding the Trinity

 

        The Trinity is a church word to describe God.  He is one God, but in three distinct part.  They work together in perfect harmony.  Together they are one, but they each have their own distinct roles in every aspect of the universe, time, and everything else.  There is no true comparison because the creation cannot be compared to the creator.

    To simplify the trinity God is given different distinctive names: God the father, God the son aka Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit.  It makes it easier to wrap your mind around it, but if you go back to the beginning God didn't have a name.  He had descriptions.  His first name was Yahweh to mean "I am".  We gave God names to make it easier for out brains to connect with Him.

    The trinity is not three separate people.  It is only one God with three distinct parts.  No mythological God can be put in God's place.  You can't just declare that your god is God.  You have to meet God and understand the difference between Him and unreal gods.  You have to have a reality check to see that you are not your own god.  God can't be changed, molded, manipulated, or created.  He is who He is and nothing comes close to comparing to Him.

    People will never perfectly be able to describe God.  You are His creation talking to His other creations about Him.  Your soul knows Him.  You soul knows the truth.  You have to allow your soul to understand in faith.  Trust that God will reveal Himself.  He can speak for Himself, but He chooses to work through people. 

    God reveals Himself in His Word and through supernatural means.  His character, ways, wise counsel, and the Holy Spirit are ways that He gets through to people.  God is good.  He cannot sin.  God is holy and holy cannot be evil.  He created Satan and all other angels.  He gave them free will too.  

    Satan chose to rebel.  Satan then was cast out of Heaven to roam the world.  He introduced evil and wickedness to the world.  People do not have to listen and follow, but every single person chooses to at one time or another.  That is not God's fault.  You cannot blame God for your shortcomings and consequences.  He is the source of all truth and who He is should not be altered to suite anyone.

Isaiah 45:1-7, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Titus 1:1-3, & James 1:12-15, 2:19-20

God the Father Part 2

 

    Jesus used parables to help people understand who is God, his father.  The most famous parable may be the lost son.  It tells how God's people reject and hurt Him, but when they return he treats them like nothing happened.  No matter what you do, God the father will not reject your repentance and forget all your past sins on this side of life.

    God loves all people and will pursue.  He makes it personal and will meet you where you are.  He makes the biggest effort.  All you have to do is accept, repent, and follow Jesus.  He is not reckless.  His love is pure.  It doesn't come with strings or a hidden agenda.  It is honest, forthright, and has healthy boundaries.  If there is disconnect between you and God's love, then it comes from you not Him.  

    The son in the lost son parable put his family's future in jeopardy with his selfish nature.  It was insulting to demand his inheritance before his father died, but his father gave him what he wanted.  The son was basically saying his father was already dead to him and he wanted nothing to do with the family anymore.  

    The older brother had every right to feel insulted because the younger son was being insulted.  However, the father's love does not hold grudges.  He doesn't allow pride to keep him from embracing his son back when the son returns.  If it was a true story, then the father would have endured shame and grief.  His neighbors would have held it against him like he was a bad father, but the father did not allow shame to stop him from loving his son.

    Culturally the son would never have been allowed to return home.  The village or community would have made it clear that he was cut off and dead to all of them.  It takes love that gives you strength to break the culture to do what is right and different.  Jesus changed everything with this parable.  God displays true love, grace, and forgiveness that reject shame.  

    God even tried to reconcile the two brothers, but they had their own relationship that had to be worked out and it never tells us if they did.  The brothers represent faith that saves and religion.  They rarely mix well.  God is more interested in faith that turns you into a child that will follow over looking righteous for the world.  However, God loves everyone and gives the world all the opportunities to turn to Him.

    Fundamentally this is who God is.  He is perfect.  He is good.  He is the father that wants the best for His children, but in the right way.  He does not allow His children to run amuck.  He disciplines us and shows us the righteous way to live.  He gentle takes care of you even if it may feel harsh at the time.  

    God is not hatefully wrathful.  His anger is stemmed from righteous love.  He fights for you.  He is not demanding or He would never have given you free will.  He is not a dictator demanding His way.  You have options, but you also have consequences.  God is not absent, abusive, or indifferent.  He does not fail His people.  He is faultless, but endures all the blame people place on Him.  He is not demeaning, imprudent, or opulent.  He loves you enough to always be there to listen to everything and gives you good things freely.

Luke 15

Promise Keeper

 

    God is the promise keeper.  He makes His promises based on who He is in the form of covenants.  A covenant is more than keeping your word.  It is more than just a promise.  It is binding and everlasting.  It is not something that God takes lightly and neither should you.

    God is good at keeping His promises.  He has never broken one and never will.  He is faithful even when you are not.  When you chose things over Him, He still chooses you.  You see the majority of covenants made in the Old Testament, but you see how it mostly comes together in the New Testament.  The New Testament still holds a few promises for your future.

    In God's covenants He is the strength behind the promise.  The people mostly get to receive the good and have the easier portion of the agreement.  For an example the covenant of salvation.  Jesus had to come into this world as a human to die the final and truest sacrificial death.  He rose again defeating death and becoming the door for people to have access to God.  All you have to do is believe and follow Jesus.  Most covenants had to be made in blood for people to realize how important they are.

    God is the promise keeper because He is the initiator, sustainer, and fulfiller.  He does not lie, so you know He will do what He says He will do.  The whole purpose of a covenant or promise is for God to be able to be closer to His people.  His promises offer consequences to choices and redemption.

    Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises throughout history.  If you know Jesus and follow him, then you live under the new covenant that was formed when he raised from the dead.  You understand what sacrifice is and why it is necessary.  You also know the freedom that comes with following Jesus.  

    Jesus shows you how to live the law and the Holy Spirit empowers you to live your freedom with Jesus.  Together they help remove the chaos to live with wisdom.  If you choose the salvation covenant, then you know that one day you will go home to live eternity with God because He promised it.

Genesis 3:14-19, 9:8-11, 17:1-14. Exodus 19:3-6, Numbers 25:12-14, 2 Samuel 7:12-16, Jeremiah 31:31-34, 2 Corinthians 1:17-20, 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, & Hebrews 4:14-16

The Creator

 

    God does not have a beginning or an end, but He is the beginning and end of our World.  He is the creator of all that we know.  You had a beginning and you have an end as a living human being, but your soul is eternal.  It will reside with God in Heaven or Hell with Satan.  

    God is the source of all power that exist.  What power He has given He can take away.  He is infinite in who He is and what He can do.  He is the source of all that is good, pure, holy, and faithful.  Anything that doesn't fit into those categories do not come from Him.  The power that He has allowed in the evil one will be removed one day.  That means if you chose not to follow Jesus, then you are following the one that will lose everything in the end.

    God is all-powerful and all knowing.  He is transcendent in His infinite love.  That is why He creates.  He loves you and He loves all living things.  He is the original artist.  It is His art that inspires all artist to create.  His creation inspires science.  His designated roles in life inspire law and order.  People are inspired because we are His most loved and cherished creations.

    God's power is displayed in creation, His reign, order, Jesus, and sovereignty.  His creation tells you that He is powerful, true, and still working.  What we can see and beyond tells you He is faithful and will not forget about you.  He can handle everything including what you need in life.  Look around you and you can see His fingerprint on life.  

    God never needed you or anyone else.  He chose to create you.  He chose to love you.  He did not make you and left you to fend for yourself.  He never left you.  He created you giving you purpose and passion that should inspire you to draw near to Him, but He also gave you free will.  If you chose to turn your back on Him He will not force the relationship.  However, He will enforce the consequences of your choices.  You know what they are, so you can't blame Him for how things turn out.

    God's love for you leads back to His glory.  He gives you purpose, so your life has meaning and can be expressed in worship, love, and joy in Him.  He provided variety in skin color, languages, cultures, laughter, climate, seasons, emotional depth, intellect, and so many other ways.  It all brought Him pleasure.  It is your choice to continue bringing Him pleasure or cut yourself off from Him.  He created you personally and it is your personal choice.

Genesis 1, Psalm 19:1-4, 90:1-9, Isaiah 43:5-7, John 1:1-5, Acts 17:24-29, Hebrew 11:1-3, & Revelations 4:9-11