And she shall bring forth a son, and thou halt call His Name JESUS, for He shall save His people from their sins. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, "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." ... and he called His Name JESUS." (Matthew 1:18-25)
"And the angel said unto her, "Fear not Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His Name JESUS. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto Him the throne of His father David: and He shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of His Kingdom there shall be no end.
Then said Mary unto the angel, "How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?" And the angel answered and said unto her, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore, also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God ..." (Luke 1:30-35; Hebrews 1:1-2, 8; Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 7:14; I Timothy 3:16)
In Hebrews, there is offered a further distinction between the old covenant and the new testament wherein with the angel came a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will to all [men]." (Luke 2:14)
Up until now, the old covenant stood -- "The Holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest while as the first tabernacle was yet standing ..." (Hebrews 9:8)
However, there were those waiting to see the Lord's Christ and therefore, for them, a new testament was on the horizon -- the Lord envisioning a brand new thing, wherein He Himself would become the perfect sacrifice -- the dayspring from on high visiting His people. A new testament whereby a purchase was made -- and the price of our salvation paid in full, once and for all, with His own precious, holy blood.
And for this cause, as we know from the scriptures, "He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. For where a testament [is], there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament [is] of force after men are dead: otherwise, it is of no strength at all while the testator lives. Whereupon neither the first [testament] was dedicated without blood. for when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people, saying, "This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you. Moreover, he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry and almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission." (Hebrews 9:15-22)
This is why it was necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these ... 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; nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place every year with blood of others, for then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world ..
... but now ONCE in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, and as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment, so Christ was ONCE offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall He appear the second time without sin unto salvation." (Hebrews 9:23-28)
O, blessed day! After the kindness and love of God, He became our Saviour. (Titus 3:4-7)
"And this I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect, for it the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise but God gave it to Abraham by promise." (Galatians 3:17-18)
In this current dispensation of grace, Jesus is our Good Shepherd. He is the Bread of Life. (John 6:35) The Word made flesh. (John 1:1-18) Jesus -- the only door by which we can inherit salvation. Indeed, our inheritance depends on our heart reaction to our Lord and Saviour Jesus the Christ. The living bread which came down from heaven so that if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever. (John 6:51)
To this end, Jesus invites us to come unto Him -- all ye who are weary and heavy laden. Yes, Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No man comes to the Father but by Me." (John 14:6)
And similarly, as Jesus so clearly stated, "I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep."(John 10:11, 14)
And just in case, some suppose that Jesus' life was taken from Him by the courts and soldiers of that day, note what Jesus said, even before the disciples had any idea what kind of sacrifice Jesus would make on the cross. Jesus said, "No man takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of My Father." (John 10:18; John 2:19)
For God so loved the world ... (John 3:16)
Stand in the offering plate!
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