"Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of the Lord; yes, He shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; so He shall be a priest on His throne...." (Zechariah 6:12-13b, from my recent "Minor Prophets" reading)
I'm sure that most like devotionals, sermons and teachings about themselves, how to be a better wife, husband, successful business person, expand their "ministry." I think it's better first and centrally to do as the Hebrew writer said, "Consider Jesus." If our desire is insatiable to improve ourselves, make life easier for ourselves, to get help "just to make it through the day," and do not see that all of it is only, as the carol says, "met in thee tonight," then we will be on an endless search. Even the best of preachers and teachers cannot satisfy the longing for "self-improvement." Sure, we all should want to be a better us, grow and develop more and more, but if this "want to" is not in, "consider Jesus," it is all in vain. All we will get is religious trimmings on a lifeless tree.
"Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH!" From His place He shall branch out...." Jesus has branched out from creation. And more and more as the prophets, who were not always quite sure of whom they spoke, realized who and what was, "The Coming One," the more eager were they, and the expectant ones, looking to His coming. Hence, generations later we read, "....Simeon...took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: 'Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples...." This could be something of what the prophet spoke, "From His place He shall branch out." Perhaps it could even be found also referenced in the parable, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened," then later, "Go in the all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." "He shall branch out...."
Ah, then the glorious declaration of the Godhead, "And He (Jesus) shall build the temple of the Lord....[Jesus] shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; so [Jesus] shall be a priest on His throne...." Christmas is a celebration of the First Appearing of the One Who fulfills our text. "Come to Bethlehem and see Christ whose birth the angels sing; Come, adore..the newborn King," the One Who alone, "shall bear the glory."
Father, in Jesus' Name, nothing and no one can make me a better me than you. Amen.
I'm sure that most like devotionals, sermons and teachings about themselves, how to be a better wife, husband, successful business person, expand their "ministry." I think it's better first and centrally to do as the Hebrew writer said, "Consider Jesus." If our desire is insatiable to improve ourselves, make life easier for ourselves, to get help "just to make it through the day," and do not see that all of it is only, as the carol says, "met in thee tonight," then we will be on an endless search. Even the best of preachers and teachers cannot satisfy the longing for "self-improvement." Sure, we all should want to be a better us, grow and develop more and more, but if this "want to" is not in, "consider Jesus," it is all in vain. All we will get is religious trimmings on a lifeless tree.
"Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH!" From His place He shall branch out...." Jesus has branched out from creation. And more and more as the prophets, who were not always quite sure of whom they spoke, realized who and what was, "The Coming One," the more eager were they, and the expectant ones, looking to His coming. Hence, generations later we read, "....Simeon...took Him up in his arms and blessed God and said: 'Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word; for my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared before the face of all peoples...." This could be something of what the prophet spoke, "From His place He shall branch out." Perhaps it could even be found also referenced in the parable, "The Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened," then later, "Go in the all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." "He shall branch out...."
Ah, then the glorious declaration of the Godhead, "And He (Jesus) shall build the temple of the Lord....[Jesus] shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; so [Jesus] shall be a priest on His throne...." Christmas is a celebration of the First Appearing of the One Who fulfills our text. "Come to Bethlehem and see Christ whose birth the angels sing; Come, adore..the newborn King," the One Who alone, "shall bear the glory."
Father, in Jesus' Name, nothing and no one can make me a better me than you. Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
