There was one last point in my message last Sunday. The first, God for us. The second, God with us. Now even more there is God in us.
When we understand the Incarnation, the central truth of Christianity, we must understand that it is more than the manger. For the baby Jesus in the manger would not even be remembered except for the cross. And the Jesus on the cross would have long since faded into history except for resurrection. And while the resurrection was glorious and earth and heaven shaking, it would have limited our relationship with Christ Jesus if it ended there.
It didn’t end there. Following the resurrection was the wondrous ascension of Christ Jesus to the Right Hand of the Father where He did as He promised … He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell those who come to God by grace through faith. Acts begins with the giving of the Holy Spirit, “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” [Acts 2:4]
As we continue into the book of Acts, we read of that continual infilling of the Spirit into people who place their faith in Jesus. We must understand that God’s good, good purpose for His creation wasn’t just to restore relationship and then leave us alone, His plan was to make us like Him. His purpose is to once again be able to point to His children as “made in the image of God.”
Simple life-altering truth contained in nine words: God for us, God with us, God in us. If you are making any resolutions to begin 2020, it might be to never forget those nine little words and how much they have changed our lives here on earth as well as in eternity. Thank you, Father.
