John 1:1-14
The Word Becomes Flesh
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life,and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Luke 2:1-7
Truth and Grace are Born
1 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.
4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
Acts 4:12
Salvation Comes from No One Except Jesus
12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.
Matthew 28:16-20
The Great Commission
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
2 Peter 1:12-21
Often Be Reminded of Jesus and the Prophecy of Scripture
12 So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. 13 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, 14 because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 15 And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised stories when we told you about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in power, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” 18 We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain.
19 We also have the prophetic message as something completely reliable, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. 20 Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthians 15:1-1
The Resurrection of Jesus
1 Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2 By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
9 For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11 Whether, then, it is I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed.
We might be want to be reminded over and again of these things about Jesus and about His life...It is good to always be reminded of these things about Him...Even if we know them well and they are firmly established in the truth and truths we have learned in our lives...It is like exercise that needs to be repeated to maintain a fitness in our faith...So it is good and right to refresh our memory as long as we live in the tent of our physical body...Because quickly life does pass and we soon put our physical body aside, as our LORD Jesus has taught His Disciples...So we should make every effort while we are on earth to remember and practice these true and sacred things about Him and His teachings...
He was born in Bethlehem, a small town and out of this town came the ordinary...And this is important to remember...In Bethlehem there was no room in the nearby inns during the time of Jesus' birth, so His actual place of birth is much away from comfort...And this is important to know...Jesus could have came to earth and Israel and anytime and at any age...Jesus did have a birth and did not arrive on earth at the age of thirty about the time He began His ministry, so we do not have a specific age we see as the glorious of ages...There never was in Jesus' life either written or oral tradition of His wealth or His family's estate...Jesus never wrote a book, so we do not have a sacred book of His writings to worship...We are given the Bible from those who followed Him...So through these different things salvation is for all, no matter what age, and no matter how poor one is...His Kingdom is about giving and He gave Himself completely...His Kingdom is for everyone, it is for all nations, as described by the Great Commission...
Let us be further reminded that the gospel that is written is sacred and holy...And it is by this gospel that we are saved, if you hold firmly to the word that is written in the gospel and New Testament...For what the Early Apostles and Disciples have passed on to us is of first and utmost importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve...After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep...Then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all He appeared to Paul...
We have the sacred and holy text of the Bible that we can read and believe...The Old Testament gave us prophetic messages and these prophetic writings about a Messiah that was to come are something that are completely reliable, and we would do well to pay attention to Scripture and what is written...The Bible and the Truth about Jesus are a Light shining in a dark place...Above all, we must understand that no prophecy written in Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of these things...For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but the prophets and authors of the Bible, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit...
Let us see that Truth and Grace are Personal...Truth and Grace are Personal, because they came through and from a Person...His name is Jesus Christ...
So out of the ordinary and sometimes discomforting, Truth and Grace came to us...Truth and Grace came to us in a most unusual way...Truth and Grace came and dwelt with humanity from the time He was born until the time we hung Him from the cross...And in His ministry of three years He taught us the eternities...He died for our sins and was resurrected...He taught us about salvation in Him...Salvation comes from Truth and Grace...Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved...