Jesus didn't just come to be with you, but to be made like you in every way. John 1:9-14 (NIV) 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. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 19: The Two Natures of Christ We believe that by being thus conceived the person of the Son has been inseparably united and joined together with human nature, in such a way that there are not two Sons of God, nor two persons, but two natures united in a single person, with each nature retaining its own distinct properties. Thus his divine nature has always remained uncreated, without beginning of days or end of life, filling heaven and earth. His human nature has not lost its properties but continues to have those of a creature— it has a beginning of days; it is of a finite nature and retains all that belongs to a real body. And even though he, by his resurrection, gave it immortality, that nonetheless did not change the reality of his human nature; for our salvation and resurrection depend also on the reality of his body. But these two natures are so united together in one person that they are not even separated by his death. So then, what he committed to his Father when he died was a real human spirit which left his body. But meanwhile his divine nature remained united with his human nature even when he was lying in the grave; and his deity never ceased to be in him, just as it was in him when he was a little child, though for a while it did not show itself as such. These are the reasons why we confess him to be true God and true man— true God in order to conquer death by his power, and true man that he might die for us in the weakness of his flesh. Summary Jesus is described in this passage as the true light and the Word, the latter being the description John used to open this gospel. John’s wording regarding Jesus speaks to the nature of who he is. Jesus is the true light who was coming into the world. Throughout the Gospel of John, the language of “truth” or “true” is used to distinguish something as heavenly and everlasting. This combined with the mention of how the light was “coming into the world” - as opposed to being created in the world - helps to identify Jesus as the Son, the second person of the Trinity. The Gospel of John opens with “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” This eternal Word, the Son, was there in the beginning, became flesh, and dwelt among us. What John is attesting to with these descriptions of Jesus is God becoming man. In the incarnation God did not merely take on a human form, but as John states “the Word became flesh." Jesus took on more than just skin & muscle; He took on our very nature. Dig Deeper We have returned to this opening chapter from the Gospel of John repeatedly throughout this year. There is a good reason for this, since John speaks directly to matters covered by the Belgic Confession, particularly as to who and what Jesus is. This week we are going to focus on the importance of Jesus having both a divine and human nature. Jesus is both fully God and fully human, which is a distinction that carries eternal significance. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who has given us the right to become His children; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will walk in the true light that gives light to everyone; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Romans 15

Looking at what Christ has already accomplished helps you wait patiently for that which has not yet been fully realized. Isaiah 11:1-9 (NIV) A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the LORD— 3 and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; 4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked. 5 Righteousness will be his belt and faithfulness the sash around his waist. 6 The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them. 7 The cow will feed with the bear, their young will lie down together, and the lion will eat straw like the ox. 8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den, the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest. 9 They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain, for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 18: The Incarnation So then we confess that God fulfilled the promise which he had made to the early fathers by the mouth of his holy prophets when he sent his only and eternal Son into the world at the time set by him. The Son took the “form of a servant” and was made in the “likeness of man,” truly assuming a real human nature, with all its weaknesses, except for sin; being conceived in the womb of the blessed virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, without male participation. And he not only assumed human nature as far as the body is concerned but also a real human soul, in order that he might be a real human being. For since the soul had been lost as well as the body he had to assume them both to save them both together. In this way he is truly our Immanuel— that is: “God with us.” Summary A tree stump normally doesn't offer much hope. Certainly it's not odd to see shoots and succors growing out of a stump, but they usually don't grow into anything substantial. As the prophet Isaiah writes these words, a stump is all that remained of David's once great kingdom (Jesse was David's father, and so the stump is said to be his). But this is the gospel that Isaiah proclaims: that the coming Messiah will reinvigorate the humble stump that God's covenant people had been reduced to. The first thing Isaiah reports about the Messiah is that He will be filled with the Spirit. He'll have wisdom, understanding, knowledge and might. Isaiah writes that "He will delight in the fear of the LORD (v3)." Think about that as you go through your day: how do the gospel accounts show Jesus 'delighting' in the fear of he LORD? The Messiah will restore justice to the corrupted world. But it will be more than just whatever feels right at the time - justice seen by the eyes or heard with the ears - it will be a justice based on true and objective righteousness. The Messiah will powerfully implement this justice using the most powerful weapon He has: His Word: "with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked (v4)." This passage concludes with a beautiful picture of shalom having been returned to the world: the wolf and the lamb, the calf and the lion, the cow and the bear, all living in harmony. Children will no longer be in danger from the cobras and vipers of the world. All of this will occur because the void caused by Adam's sin will finally be filled: "the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the LORD (v9)." Dig Deeper Does this passage bring you comfort, or cause skepticism? After all, it's been two millennia since the angelic host filled the sky with proclamations of peace on earth, yet injustice remains nearly everywhere we look. Predators continue to prey unabbetted, in ways that often seem to be getting worse. Why didn't the Messiah fix these things the way Isaiah said He would? We understand prophecies like this one in Isaiah to be fulfilled in a two pronged way, which is often referred to as the already / not yet distinction. In many ways, what Isaiah wrote has already been completed. Jesus was filled by the Spirit at His baptism, just as Isaiah predicted. A few weeks ago on Pentecost Sunday we celebrated how this indwelling has come to ordinary believers as well! As God's Word is proclaimed - which is "the breath of his lips" - it brings life to God's people, but it spiritually slays the wicked. Yet a time is coming when Christ will return with a "sharp sword coming out of His mouth striking down the nations (Rev. 19:15)." So part of Isaiah's prophecy is already taking place, but is not yet fully realized. And although we see brief instances of the shalom Isaiah describes in the final part of this passage in our lives today, we're nowhere near the idyllic paradise these words describe. But since you've seen God be so faithful in everything He's already accomplished for our salvation, you can patiently wait for that which has not yet come to be. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who brings new life into dead stumps; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for the aspects of salvation you've already experienced, and ask for patience while we wait for what has not yet arrived; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Romans 14

Find help from One who knows exactly what you're going through. Hebrews 2:14–18 (ESV) 11 Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family... 14 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. 16 For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 18 For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 18: The Incarnation So then we confess that God fulfilled the promise which he had made to the early fathers by the mouth of his holy prophets when he sent his only and eternal Son into the world at the time set by him. The Son took the “form of a servant” and was made in the “likeness of man,” truly assuming a real human nature, with all its weaknesses, except for sin; being conceived in the womb of the blessed virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, without male participation. And he not only assumed human nature as far as the body is concerned but also a real human soul, in order that he might be a real human being. For since the soul had been lost as well as the body he had to assume them both to save them both together. In this way he is truly our Immanuel— that is: “God with us.” Summary As we began our journey through the Belgic Confession earlier this year, we looked at what it means when we confess that our God is omnipotent, and how although God can do all that He pleases, it doesn't mean He can do all things. For example, God cannot do evil, since doing so would violate who and what He is. This is critical to remember as we begin to understand exactly how our salvation was accomplished. God could not save us from a distance. He couldn't just declare "Let them be saved" the way that He called light into being. Only a man could satisfy God's covenant, so therefore God needed to become a man so "that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death (v14)." This is why Jesus had to become a man "in every respect (v17)." It wouldn't be enough for Him to just come down and be with us, or even to simply look like us. He needed to become a man in every regard: He needed a physical body, as well as a spiritual soul. Jesus took on human nature "so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest..." Remember, whereas a prophet is one who represents God to us, a priest represents us to God. The only way for you to be perfectly represented before God was for Jesus to become God incarnate: that is, God in flesh. Dig Deeper How often haven't you said to someone going through a trial something along the lines of "I know what you're going through..." Certainly we say this sincerely in a way that we hope helps, but ultimately the only way to truly know what it's like to go through something is to actually go through the exact same experience ourselves. Certainly the primary reason the Son of God became man was "to make propitiation (atonement / payment) for the sins of the people." Jesus did this by taking on all of our sin and bearing the holy wrath of God as He hung on the cross. But in doing so, Jesus came to know first hand exactly what it's like to live as a human being in this fallen and broken world. Jesus suffered as He was tempted through life to a degree the rest of us will never truly experience. He can honestly say that He knows what it's like to be us, but we could never say that we know what it was like to be Him as He endured the worst of what Satan could muster. But because He endured this unimaginable suffering in life, "He is able to help those who are being tempted." Jesus suffered physically, mentally, and spiritually. Know that in whatever of these ways you are suffering (maybe even all of them!), Jesus can help you endure it. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who sent His one and only Son to become a man; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will cling to Christ when suffering through temptation, since He knows what you're going through and is able to help; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Romans 13

Jesus came to save you from your sins AND fear. Matthew 1:18-25 (NIV) 18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. 20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”  (which means “God with us”). 24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 18: The Incarnation So then we confess that God fulfilled the promise which he had made to the early fathers by the mouth of his holy prophets when he sent his only and eternal Son into the world at the time set by him. The Son took the “form of a servant” and was made in the “likeness of man,” truly assuming a real human nature, with all its weaknesses, except for sin; being conceived in the womb of the blessed virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, without male participation. And he not only assumed human nature as far as the body is concerned but also a real human soul, in order that he might be a real human being. For since the soul had been lost as well as the body he had to assume them both to save them both together. In this way he is truly our Immanuel— that is: “God with us.” Summary It had to be one of the most awkward conversations of all time: young, innocent Mary, trying to explain her unexpected pregnancy to the faithful young man she was engaged to. Put yourself in Joseph's sandals; what conclusions would you come to as Mary told you about her angelic encounter with the archangel in which he informed her that she who was 'highly favored' by God (Luke 1:28) would be having a child out of wedlock in 8-1/2 months. That's a lot to process! So it makes sense that after trying to wrap his mind around this crazy situation that Joseph "had in mind to divorce her quietly." Now put yourself in Mary's position: days after being visited by Gabriel and being told that she would bear the Son of the Most High, whose kingdom would never end, she's rejected and sent out to fend for herself. If Joseph couldn't accept her and believe her story, what would her father say when she went back to him? But everything changed when Joseph dreamed his dream. This was no ordinary dream, of course. Like Mary, Joseph received an angelic message, corroborating exactly what Mary had tried to explain, right down to the name she also had been instructed to give the child: Yehô·šûaʿ(Joshua), or in its more Greek form: Jesus: the one who will save His people from their sins. As strange as this entire story sounds, it most certainly wasn't something that God was making up as He went along. As Matthew writes, "all of this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 'The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him ʿim·māʹ·nû ʾēl (God with us).'" But it wasn't just Isaiah who had predicted this some 700 years before Jesus came; this had already been planned by God as He cursed the serpent in the Garden: the woman's offspring would crush the serpent's head. Dig Deeper God must love irony. At the dawn of history, He had to go and find His image bearers, who were hiding from him naked and afraid due to their sin. Now, thousands of years later, the two parents He'd chosen to usher ʿim·māʹ·nû ʾēl into the world were also, in a sense, hiding in fear. But although the angel called out to Joseph in a similar way that God had called out to Adam, the message the angel brought was quite different. Instead of a glimmer of hope buried under a pile of curses, all Joseph heard about was salvation. And it would come exactly how God said it would: through the offspring of a woman. It didn't have to be this way; just as God formed His first covenant representative out of the dust of the ground, He certainly could have formed the new covenant representative in the same way, or any number of other ways if He wanted. But yet He chose a young couple, who both needed to be told the same exact thing by their angelic messenger: "Do not be afraid (v20, Luke 1:30)." God sent His Son, born of a woman, not just to take away your sins, but to also still your fears. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who does exactly what He says He'll do; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for sending Jesus, born of a woman, and pray that you will experience the Spirit filled courage that Mary and Joseph did; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Romans 12

God exalted our humble Savior to the highest place, where He intercedes for you! Philippians 2:5-11 (NIV) 5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 18: The Incarnation So then we confess that God fulfilled the promise which he had made to the early fathers by the mouth of his holy prophets when he sent his only and eternal Son into the world at the time set by him. The Son took the “form of a servant” and was made in the “likeness of man,” truly assuming a real human nature, with all its weaknesses, except for sin; being conceived in the womb of the blessed virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, without male participation. And he not only assumed human nature as far as the body is concerned but also a real human soul, in order that he might be a real human being. For since the soul had been lost as well as the body he had to assume them both to save them both together. In this way he is truly our Immanuel— that is: “God with us.” Summary In demonstrating what it means to have the same mindset of Christ, this passage is one of the Bible's clearest christologies; meaning it's a fantastic resource to understand who and what Jesus, the second member of the Trinity, is: He's by nature God, but He then also assumed the nature of man. Having successfully completed His mission, God exalted Christ above all things. Paul writes that atheism is a temporary condition in v11 - every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord - even the atheists will need confess this truth! But in order to gain the everlasting benefits that come from confessing Jesus as Lord, you need to confess it here and now. Imagine one of your best life long friends, who gained success in every area of life, only to give up all they had to take all of the guilt and blame and consequences for all of the wrongs you had committed in your life. That's the picture that this passage paints of who Jesus is and what He did. Dig Deeper Maybe you noticed it as you read verse 7, and maybe you didn't. The NIV text, which we followed today, renders the opening phrase as, "he made himself nothing," whereas most of the other English translations go with "he emptied himself." The original Greek text is quite straightforward. It literally translates as himself he emptied. So what's going on here? Why did the NIV take what should have been a word for word translation and make it so different? The NIV utilizes what's known as a dynamic translation philosophy. Their goal isn't just to give a wooden translation of words, but to convey the thoughts and intent of the original author as accurately as possible. And most of the time, as is the case in this passage, this translation philosophy works out really well. There have been some throughout church history who've taken these words to mean that Christ emptied Himself of absolutely everything - including His very divinity. They take this to mean that while He was here on Earth, Jesus only had a human nature. But certainly when we look at everything else Paul wrote about Jesus, it becomes quite apparent that this isn't what Paul thought! So the NIV translated this phrase slightly differently, so that the reader would understand that Jesus didn't empty Himself of His divine nature, but rather that He made Himself nothing - that is, He let go of all the glory He had enjoyed in heaven. And He did this for you. So give thanks that Christ humbled Himself on your behalf, and also be thankful for the many wonderful English translations of the Bible. Be sure to use them together to get as full of an understanding as possible! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who exalted our Savior to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above all names; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that your knee would bow and your tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord! ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Romans 11

God always fulfills His promises at the time set by Him. 1 Chronicles 17:10-14 (NIV) CONTEXT: David is well settled into his role as the king of Israel, and he wants to build a grand temple for the LORD, to replace the portable tabernacle. The prophet Nathan brings God's Word back to David. It won't be David building a house for God, rather... “ ‘I declare to you that the LORD will build a house for you: 11 When your days are over and you go to be with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, one of your own sons, and I will establish his kingdom. 12 He is the one who will build a house for me, and I will establish his throne forever. 13 I will be his father, and he will be my son. I will never take my love away from him, as I took it away from your predecessor. 14 I will set him over my house and my kingdom forever; his throne will be established forever.’ ” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 18: The Incarnation So then we confess that God fulfilled the promise which he had made to the early fathers by the mouth of his holy prophets when he sent his only and eternal Son into the world at the time set by him. The Son took the “form of a servant” and was made in the “likeness of man,” truly assuming a real human nature, with all its weaknesses, except for sin; being conceived in the womb of the blessed virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, without male participation. And he not only assumed human nature as far as the body is concerned but also a real human soul, in order that he might be a real human being. For since the soul had been lost as well as the body he had to assume them both to save them both together. In this way he is truly our Immanuel— that is: “God with us.” Summary The word house, both in the original Hebrew 1 Chronicles was written in, and in today's English, has multiple meanings. The most obvious definition is the structure we dwell in. But it can also refer to a church building, as it's used in the opening line of Psalm 122, "I rejoiced with those who said to me, 'Let us go to the house of the Lord.'" But as we read it here in 1 Chronicles, the word 'house' doesn't mean either of those things. Rather, when Nathan tells David that the Lord will build a house for him, it means that the Lord will build David's kingdom into a dynasty. The Lord is promising to establish the throne of David forever, which is a remarkable promise on its own, but the Lord goes on to promise that this will not just be an earthly kingdom, but that this promised son will be set over the Lord's house and kingdom forever (just like the word house has multiple meanings, so does the word 'son.' The kings of Israel were called 'sons of God'). This coming son who would reign forever would stem from the house of David, and be his biological offspring (v11). But one doesn't need to read too much further in these Old Testament narratives to find out that the sons of David don't fare too well. Starting with Solomon and his penchant for foreign wives, the 'house of David' goes off the rails rather quickly within a few generations. It doesn't seem like the Lord's promises here would ever come true. This is why the miracle that occurred a millennia later in Bethlehem, the City of David, is so significant. The son born to Mary, who was also a daughter of David, is the Son referred to by the prophet Nathan. He is the one whose kingdom has been established forever. Dig Deeper "A time set by Him." That line, used in our Confession to describe when God would send the promised Son to build the House of David, is both comforting and frustrating. Why did God wait so long after presenting His eternal house building plans to David to send His own Son as an infant lying in a manger? Israel had suffered through so much grief by this point (granted, most of it was self inflicted), and although the religious establishment in place at the time Jesus was born was aware of this promise God had made to David, very few were actively anticipating it. So while it's certainly frustrating for us to have to wait for the times set by God, make sure to hang on to the comforting aspect of this phrase as well. God did make good on His promise, delivered by a prophet to the greatest earthly king Israel would ever know. Every word that Nathan spoke has already come true: the offspring of David has had His house established forever, and God will never take away His love for His Son. Even still, you and I, who are citizens of this Kingdom, have not yet fully realized the benefits of it. We're still here in this broken and grief filled world, in which most people are not even aware, much less actively anticipating, the Son who has promised to return, just as His Father promised He would arrive. And He will do so at "a time set by Him." Let this ancient fulfilled promise that you've read in 1 Chronicles fuel your faith as you eagerly anticipate God's House being completely established in both heaven and earth. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who fulfills His promises at a time set by Him; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would remember you are a citizen of the Kingdom of God and eagerly anticipate the return of God's Son and your King; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Romans 10

Take a breather: enjoy the peace & comfort given in very simple language. Galatians 4:1-7 (NIV) ...As long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2 The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3 So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. 4 But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. 6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” 7 So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 17: The Recovery of Fallen Man We believe that our good God, by his marvelous wisdom and goodness, seeing that man had plunged himself in this manner into both physical and spiritual death and made himself completely miserable, set out to find him, though man, trembling all over, was fleeing from him. And he comforted him, promising to give him his Son, “born of a woman,” to crush the head of the serpent, and to make him blessed. Summary Paul here is comparing life in general to the heir to a large fortune. Although the fortune legally belongs to the heir, he often doesn't have access to it until he reaches the age of maturity that his father had predetermined. In the same way, you are an heir with an ownership claim in the Kingdom of heaven, but as Peter reminds, "This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:3-5). But in order for us to be made heirs, a transaction needed to take place. God sent His Son "to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship (v5)." Notice how many terms related to your salvation have financial overtones: heir, redemption, atonement, ransom, debt forgiveness, treasure in heaven, etc. Yet the price required for your salvation required something more from the buyer than just the ability to write the check, so to speak. The buyer needed to have standing. In other words, the buyer for man needed to be a man. And so it is that our Savior, God's Son, needed to be "born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law..." Jesus was made like us in every way, but since He was born of a woman, yet had no earthly father - no tie to Adam, and so was not infected by the disease transmitted from fathers to children called original sin which we read about a couple of weeks ago. Dig Deeper The more we unpack our salvation and begin to examine piece by piece, it can seem confusing and overwhelming. We use all sorts of complicated terms that we don't normally use in everyday language, we make distinctions in how and when those terms apply, and on top of all that is the nuance of ideas that are often in tension with one another, like how we understand that God elected us before time began to be saved in Christ, but yet at the same time we must "make every effort" to make our salvation sure. Although it's good to push ourselves mentally to understand this theology, just as it's good to push our bodies so they remain strong, it's nice to take a breather and enjoy the peace and comfort given to us in very simple language. Because you are now God's son (yes, even you ladies are considered 'sons' of God), God sent His Spirit into your heart, which causes you to call out to your Father. Paul uses a very tender word to describe your Father here: Abba, which conveys an intimacy between father and child (v6). So know that the end result of the fantastically complex theological formula required for your redemption is the fact that you have been made a bona fide child of God (v7). AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who sent His Spirit into our hearts that we would call out to Him; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would not be as enamored with the riches of this world, knowing that you're an heir of the Kingdom of Heaven; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Romans 9

God brings the gospel even in the midst of curses. Genesis 3:7-10 (NIV) CONTEXT: We began this passage earlier this week. Adam and his wife have just eaten the forbidden fruit. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. 8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the LORD God called to the man, “Where are you?” 10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” 11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?” 12 The man said, “The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” 13 Then the LORD God said to the woman, “What is this you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.” 14 So the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, “Cursed are you above all livestock and all wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life. 15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.” Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 17: The Recovery of Fallen Man We believe that our good God, by his marvelous wisdom and goodness, seeing that man had plunged himself in this manner into both physical and spiritual death and made himself completely miserable, set out to find him, though man, trembling all over, was fleeing from him. And he comforted him, promising to give him his Son, “born of a woman,” to crush the head of the serpent, and to make him blessed. Summary Adam and his wife heard the familiar sound and knew just what it was. Their God and Father, the One who had created them in His image to have dominion over all of creation, had come down to walk in the garden and enjoy the cool of the day in and with His perfect creation. Only things were different now, and the very ones He came to enjoy the day with were hiding from Him, naked and afraid. Notice that as he blurts out to God, Adam only confesses the reason for his fear, not his sin. So God asked Adam point blank if he had eaten from the tree that God had said not to. Understand that God here wasn't trying to get His facts straight or get Adam's side of the story. Yet instead of taking the opportunity to fully confess and repent, Adam initiated the blame game, blaming his wife, and even God in a sense, since God had put the woman there with him. The woman then passed the buck to the deceptive serpent. The ramifications of their rebellion were both immediate and profound. Although we only read of the curse upon the serpent today, God goes on to curse the woman and Adam, doing so in the opposite order that the blame had been placed. Dig Deeper Although the curses are severe and life altering, they are not our focus today. We're going to hone in on the tiny sliver of good news that come as God condemns the serpent. Theologians refer to verse 15 as the protoevangelion, a Latin word which literally means the 'first gospel.' First, God mentions the "offspring" of both the serpent and the woman. Both would continue living and would multiply, filling the earth! That certainly fulfills one of God's purposes for man - to fill the earth - but the second half of God's intention, for man to have dominion over the earth, was now twisted into an ongoing enmity between the manifestations of evil and the children of the woman. The gospel (good news) here is that life will continue, but in perspective this is barely good news at all. It's the second aspect of v15 that truly contains the gospel. The word offspring can be understood two ways. On one had, in a collective sense it includes every person who's been born of the woman, which of course is all of us. But the word used here, which can also be translated as seed, has a singular aspect as well. In other words, it doesn't just refer to all people, but it also refers to just one man. We know that because of how God describes the conclusion of this ongoing enmity: He (the offspring) will crush your head, you (the serpent) will bruise his heel. So praise God that you belong to the offspring of the woman: not just humanity in general, but Jesus Christ in particular, and remember that until Christ returns, you must live in enmity with the serpent. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who brings gospel even in the midst of curse; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will remember your identity as being in Christ as you navigate a life in enmity with the evil one; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Romans 8

John's poetic style defines God's love and grace. 1 John 4:7-10 (NIV) 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. 10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 17: The Recovery of Fallen Man We believe that our good God, by his marvelous wisdom and goodness, seeing that man had plunged himself in this manner into both physical and spiritual death and made himself completely miserable, set out to find him, though man, trembling all over, was fleeing from him. And he comforted him, promising to give him his Son, “born of a woman,” to crush the head of the serpent, and to make him blessed. Summary It often seems like John writes in big loops, like he's repeating the same thing over and over in slightly different ways. This is by design. In our western style, we tend to organize our thoughts like Paul, using an outline format like what you learned in school: Point 1 Subpoint Subpoint Point 2 Subpoint Subpoint John, on the other hand, writes in a more near-eastern style, using a chaisitic format. Here's how the passage we just read is organized: We must love one another. Here's why: A: Definition of love: it comes from God B: People show love: indicate they're born of God C: If you don't love you don't know God C': because God is love B':God shows love: by sending His Son that we might live through Him A': Definition of love: Not what we do, but what God has done. Chiasms are recognized by the wedge shape of the outline. The upper portion looks similar to the outlining style we're more familiar with, in the typical A, B, C pattern. But then the lower portion reverses the order: C, B, A. Each of the letters in the upper portion correspond to the same letter in the lower portion. One of the biggest difference in this chiastic style is that the primary meaning of the passage doesn't come at the end, where we would normally expect it, but right smack in the middle. In the case of this passage, the primary message that John wishes to convey is that God is love, and that if you know God, you will love too. Dig Deeper Ironically, it's the final line in John's passage that attracts our attention today. Although it's not the primary point in this passage, it still is certainly true! This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. But even this single verse is organized chiastically! A: Definition of love: This is love B: How we showed love: not that we loved God, C: Who God is: but that he loved us B': How God showed love: and sent his Son as A': Definition of love: an atoning sacrifice for our sins. This means that the key to our salvation is certainly not rooted in our ability to turn to God on our own, but is fully based on God's character and attributes: God is love, and he demonstrates this love by sending His Son, and He defines love by giving us the atoning sacrifice we need to have peace with Him. So according to John, who's chiastic writing style can sometimes confuse our western sensibilities, the key takeaway from these doctrines of grace we've been studying these last few weeks is that you must demonstrate the very same love of the God whose image you've been created in by loving others in a way that defines what it means to be at peace with Him. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, God, who is love; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Ask God for the ability to love others as He has first loved you; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Romans 7

You're a child of God, and He will not let you stay lost. Matthew 18:10-14 (NIV) 10 “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. [11 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”] 12 “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? 13 And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. 14 In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish. Verse 11 is not in many of the earliest and most reliable manuscripts, but it is in some and also is included in the parallel to this passage in Luke 19:10. Listen to passage & devotional: Belgic Confession of Faith, Article 17: The Recovery of Fallen Man We believe that our good God, by his marvelous wisdom and goodness, seeing that man had plunged himself in this manner into both physical and spiritual death and made himself completely miserable, set out to find him, though man, trembling all over, was fleeing from him. And he comforted him, promising to give him his Son, “born of a woman,” to crush the head of the serpent, and to make him blessed. Summary The parable of the lost sheep is found both here in Matthew's gospel as well as in Luke. Since Jesus would likely repeat parables as He traveled from one town to another, it makes sense that both Matthew and Luke report Jesus telling this particular parable in far different contexts. Whereas Luke portrays Jesus calling out the Pharisees for not seeking those falling away from the flock, Matthew places this account in the same context that Jesus was speaking to and about little children. These different contexts change the meaning and application of the parable. Whereas when Jesus spoke this angrily to the Pharisees as Luke records it, it become a lesson for leaders in the church to go after wayward members before they get completely lost or injured. But as He tells it here in Matthew's account, likely still having the little children on His lap, He's telling us something important about His Father in heaven. What Jesus means here is that our Father is not content with having secured the salvation of 99% of His people. He will do whatever it takes to be certain that each and every one of His 'sheep' are made safe. We also get some insight about how God feels about finding His sheep. We might expect Him to be rightfully angry and even discipline the sheep for wandering off and putting itself at risk, but rather He rejoices at having found the sheep just as the prodigal son's father rejoices upon his return. Dig Deeper We're coming to this parable today in the context of learning that, as our Confession puts it, "Our good God... set out to find [sinful, rebellious man], though man, trembling all over, was fleeing from Him." Just like the shepherd in Jesus' parable, your Father set out to find you, even though you were actively running away from Him! Everyone reading this was found by the Good Shepherd in a different spot. Many, if not most of us, were found by Him at such a young age we don't even really specifically remember it; By His grace, we've spent most of our lives with the 99 back in the safety of the flock. Some of you had wandered off a bit farther. Perhaps you were more seriously injured by sin, or maybe God found you just as the wolves were set to pounce. Either way - whether you were found early in life, or whether it's been more recently, the result is the same: Our Father is happier about finding you and rescuing you from sin than He is about the 99 who are already safe (but each of those 99 could say that same thing about when God found them!). The point of our Confession, and the point of Jesus' parable is that we have a God who loves us so much that He "is not willing that any of these little ones should perish." So He sent His Son, the Son of Man, to seek and save the lost. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who comes looking for His fallen and broken children; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that having been found, you will be a faithful member of God's flock; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year! Today: Romans 6