MARY
CHRISTMAS
The
Chowchilla News
Pastor’s Commentary by John Parker for
December 13, 2006
CIRCA: Pre-calendar a=
nd the
Fall of Man---“The Lord God said to the serpent, ‘Because you h=
ave
done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will
crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. And I will cause hostility b=
etween
you and the WOMAN, and between your offspring and HER offspring. He will st=
rike
your head, and you will strike his heel.’” (Genesis 3:14-15)
AND NOW WE KNOW!---the
Messiah-Christ will be the offspring of the WOMAN.
CIRCA: 2000 BC---Then=
the
Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendant I will give this
land.” (Genesis 12:7)
In 60 AD Paul the Apostle explains, “Now the promises were spo=
ken
to Abraham and to his descendant. Scripture does not say, ‘and to the
descendants,’ referring to many, but ‘and to your
descendant,’ referring to one, who is Messiah-Christ.” (Galatia=
ns
3:16)
AND NOW WE KNOW!---Me=
ssiah-Christ
would be the DESCENDANT of the ABRAHAM.
CIRCA: 1000 BC---God =
tells
AND NOW WE
KNOW---Messiah-Christ will rightfully and legally be, “the KING of the
JEWS!” Did you know that
Joseph and Mary were both direct descendants of King David? Any first born =
son
they might have would have the legal right to King David’s throne! (s=
ee
genealogies---Matthew 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38)
CIRCA: 850 BC---Isaiah
declares, “The Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin =
will
conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel
(which means ‘God is with us’). (Isaiah 7:14, 9:6)
AND NOW WE KNOW---WOM=
AN
will be a VIRGIN and her offspring will be a boy!
CIRCA: 730 BC ““But you, Bethlehem E=
phrathah,
though you are small among the clan of Judah, out of you will come for me o=
ne
who will be ruler over Israel. (Micah 5:2).
AND NOW WE
KNOW!---precisely WHERE this virgin will give birth to the
Messiah-Christ-Child!
CIRCA: 6-4 BC “The angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, y=
ou
have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, =
and
you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the=
Son
of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,
and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never
end.’”
“’I am the
Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you h=
ave
said.’ Then the angel left her.” (Luke 1:30-38)
AND NOW WE KNOW!---the
virgin’s name was Mary and her offspring will be named Jesus, meaning
Jehovah is Salvation!
AND NOW WE KNOW!---Go=
d had
a GOOD PLAN and Mary, along, with many before and after her, trusts in the
goodness of his plan!
Circa: CHRISTMAS 2006=
. The Lord declares, “I know t=
he
PLANS I have for you, PLANS to prosper you and not to harm you, PLANS to gi=
ve
you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, =
and
I will listen to you. You wil=
l seek
me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by
you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from
captivity.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
AND NOW WE KNOW!---th=
at
whoever believes in him receives, in the womb of their spirit, a
new-miraculous-impossible-with-men-but-possible-God-virgin-birth and everla=
sting
life! (John 1:12-13; 3:3; 3:1=
6-17;
and 5:24).
“I write these =
things
that you may KNOW…” (1 John 5:13)
“Have a Virgin-Bi=
rth
Christmas!”---John Parker=
=
Rev. John Parker is pastor of
ChristChurch of Chowchilla located at