You've been set free by Jesus, but it's not a free for all. You must use your freedom to glorify God. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 34 Q. Why do you call Jesus “our Lord”? A. Because— not with gold or silver, but with his precious blood— he has set us free from sin and from the tyranny of the devil, and has bought us, body and soul, to be his very own. Summary In his first letter to the church in Corinth, the Apostle Paul is addressing many issues that the church is struggling with. As he works his way through these issues, he continues to point the people back to God, reminding the church what it means to be a follower of Christ. Our verses for today come at the end of a section where he is warning them of the dangers of sexual immorality. Paul reminds the Corinthians (and us) that we are not free to do whatever we want to do, because our lives have been bought at a price. Our freedom from sin and death cost Jesus his life. Dig Deeper Why do you think the Heidelberg Catechism keeps pointing you back to the idea of salvation in Jesus Christ? We have looked at this topic several times already this year, and we are only in the month of March. Why does the Catechism continue to focus on it? Because you need to hear it. If you were to read through the book of Acts, 1 Corinthians, 1 Peter, or 2 Timothy, you would find topics that are just as relevant today as they were when those books of the Bible were first written. Even though Satan has been defeated by Jesus, the world is not fully rid of him yet. Satan has a way of manipulating people through lies and half-truths. One such lie is that your worth is defined by who you are or what you have done. That is why the Catechism reminds you that you cannot earn your salvation; you can't buy it. Your worth is not defined by who you are, nor what you have done. What matters is to whom you belong. If you have given your life to Jesus, you are a child of God. It really is that simple. The challenge comes in the day-to-day stuff that you deal with. For example, the world is constantly telling you that you are not enough, or that you should be make your personal desire for success and control your top priority in life. That's why the Heidelberg Catechism continues to come back to the topic of salvation in Jesus Christ. You need to hear over and over again that your salvation is found in Christ alone. That once you're forgiven, your sin is completely washed away. With the freedom you've been given in Jesus, you must honor God with your entire life. You're not live for just for yourself, but rather for the glory of God. You have been set free from your sin. Go and serve the Lord! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who has given you His Holy Spirit; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God for the freedom you have in Christ, and pray that you will use this freedom to live fully for God's glory. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - James 2

Jesus died to set you free from the Devil's tyranny! Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 34 Q. Why do you call Jesus “our Lord”? A. Because— not with gold or silver, but with his precious blood— he has set us free from sin and from the tyranny of the devil, and has bought us, body and soul, to be his very own. Summary Hebrews has become one of my favorite books because of its in-depth focus on the high priesthood of Jesus. It may not get the love that Romans does, but Hebrews shows how Jesus fulfilled the requirements found in the law of Moses. The point of the Old Testament law is to show us our sin (Rom. 7:7). Unfortunately, the law cannot free us from sin. While it tells us what our sin is, and to keep ourselves from sinning, the law cannot save us. Jesus took on flesh and blood, he shared in our humanity, so that he could break the power of sin and death. Jesus took on flesh so that he could fulfill the law and truly set us free. Dig Deeper We know that we cannot buy or earn our way into heaven. You cannot keep the law perfectly, and there is nothing you can do to save yourself. It is beyond your control. The only way to be saved from your sins is by the precious blood of Jesus. Salvation is found in Christ alone. Jesus died so that you could live. Through his death and resurrection Jesus defeated sin and death. He truly sets you free. When you become a child of God, you no longer live in the guilt of your sin. The sin that you have committed is forgiven in Jesus... it is wiped clean, when you repent. That sin that has held you back, that tells you that you are not enough, has been taken by Jesus and it is no longer yours to bear. That is why salvation in Jesus is incredibly freeing. That sin you committed five years ago that you still think about from time to time, it is no longer yours to bear. Once you repent of your sin, Jesus forgives you. You do not need to live in shame or guilt. You are forgiven! Not only that, but you need not fear death. As a child of God, you have been promised everlasting life. You know that death is not the end. Jesus died so that you could live. You will get to live with God in heaven for eternity. What a gift! You call Jesus 'Lord' because with his precious blood he has set you free. You are free in Jesus. Praise be to God. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Holy God who gives us freedom; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Help me to let go of the guilt and shame of my sin, so that I can live in the freedom you have given me ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - James 1

If you have to ask how much salvation costs, you can't afford it. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 34 Q. Why do you call Jesus “our Lord”? A. Because— not with gold or silver, but with his precious blood— he has set us free from sin and from the tyranny of the devil, and has bought us, body and soul, to be his very own. Summary In 1 Peter, the apostle Peter is writing to the churches in the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia (what is now modern-day Turkey). They are enduring persecution for being Christians, and he is writing to encourage them. One of his points of encouragement focuses on being holy because they now belong to God through Jesus Christ. His encouragement focuses on the cost of their salvation. Their salvation was not bought with silver or gold, things that are perishable, but with the precious blood of Jesus. Dig Deeper The Reformation started because a man named Martin Luther spoke out against indulgences, among other things. On October 31, 1517 he nailed his ninety-five theses to the church door in Wittenberg, Germany. The Roman Catholic Church was selling indulgences to raise money to rebuild St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. At that time, the Roman Catholic Church claimed that indulgences absolved buyers from all punishments and granted them salvation. Essentially, you could buy a loved one’s way into heaven. This was an especially powerful tactic that focused on those who had already died. If you were unsure of your deceased loved one’s salvation, you could buy an indulgence and they would be saved. Luther correctly stated that was unbiblical, and therefore, untrue. A person cannot buy their way into heaven, nor can they purchase the salvation of another. While we may understand this biblical truth, we may not always live it. At times, we may think our hard work, our acts of kindness, our worldly success, or our status make us good enough. If we do enough good things, we will be worthy of God’s love and have earned our salvation. That simply isn’t true. No amount of good works will earn salvation. No amount of worldly success will be enough for heavenly glory. No amount of money is enough, because salvation cannot be purchased. If we cannot buy or earn our salvation, how then can we be saved? We will explore that over the next two days. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Heavenly Father, you are merciful and full of grace; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Help me to remember that I cannot buy your love or earn my salvation, so that I show you gratitude by the way I live. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Galatians 6

You're not just 'sort of' God's child, in Christ you've been fully adopted! Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 33 Q. Why is he called God’s “only begotten Son” when we also are God’s children? A. Because Christ alone is the eternal, natural Son of God. We, however, are adopted children of God— adopted by grace through Christ. Summary Yesterday, we looked at the divinity of Jesus. Since he is the eternal, natural Son of God, that is why we say he is God’s “only begotten Son” in the Apostles’ Creed. So where does that leave us, since we are also God’s children? In Ephesians 1, the Apostle Paul states that we are adopted through Jesus Christ. The Greek word for adoption to sonship is a legal term referring to the full legal standing of an adopted male heir in Roman culture. Adoption in ancient Roman times was different from how we practice adoption today in North America. The upper-class citizens of Rome would want a male heir to pass on their wealth, titles, and property to. If they didn't have a male heir, they would adopt one. Then when the boy would grow up, he would become their son in all respects, receiving the inheritance of his adoptive family. Dig Deeper When the Apostle Paul says that God predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, he is saying that we are children of God in every sense. We are not God, like Jesus is God, but we are God’s children through adoption. We get all the benefits of being a child of God. There is no formal legal process that we go through, like filling out adoption papers. Our adoption is through Jesus Christ. When we repent of our sin, and turn to Jesus for forgiveness, we become children of God. The benefits of being a child of God are amazing. First, we receive forgiveness of our sins. We are cleansed by the grace of God in Jesus Christ. Second, we are adopted into the Body of Christ, the Church. We become a part of the family of God. Third, the Holy Spirit is sent daily to renew and cleanse us. We are not left on our own, but have the Holy Spirit with us daily renewing our minds. Finally, we have the promise of the resurrection. When Jesus returns, we will be resurrected to eternal life with God. That is what it means to be a child of God. We get all those gifts from God through Jesus Christ. While Jesus is God’s only begotten Son, all who call on Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior become adopted children of God. We truly become children of God. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Lord, you my true Father, the giver of life and grace; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: May I trust in the power of Jesus Christ, and know that I am your child. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Galatians 5

Jesus is not a God or like God... He IS God. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 33 Q. Why is he called God’s “only begotten Son” when we also are God’s children? A. Because Christ alone is the eternal, natural Son of God. We, however, are adopted children of God— adopted by grace through Christ. Summary The gospel of John begins differently than the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Matthew gives us the genealogy of Jesus. Mark begins with a prophecy of Isaiah, and then writes about John the Baptist. Luke, after briefly introducing his purpose, also begins by writing about John the Baptist. John’s introduction is a theological statement about who Jesus is. Before he gets into the life of Jesus, John very clearly states that Jesus is God. John is setting the tone for the rest of his gospel, leaving no doubt that Jesus is God, even though some rejected him as such. John’s prologue (John 1:1-18), builds on the very first statement of Jesus being the Word, speaking of his presence and action during creation, his incarnation as the Christ (Jesus becoming flesh), and concluding by acknowledging Jesus’ knowledge of God because he is God. Dig Deeper During some of our earlier devotions, we looked at the importance of Jesus’ divinity. Without being God, Jesus could not bear the weight of God’s wrath for our sin. The catechism is now teaching on the Apostles’ Creed, and so it is once again it reminds us of the divinity of Jesus; Jesus is God, just as the Father is God, just as the Holy Spirit is God. We must not think that Jesus was created by God, or is somehow lesser than God. He has always existed, that is why John says, “In the beginning was the Word.” One of the differences between Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons and Christians is our understanding of Jesus. Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons believe that Jesus was created by God. They believe he was the first created being, and held an exalted position. But as we read John 1:3, we know that cannot be true. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. How could Jesus be a created being when all things were made through him and for him? Jesus is the eternal Word, made flesh. He has always existed, and will always exist. He was present during creation and active in it; through him all things were made. Jesus Christ is the eternal, natural Son of God. If you believe he is anything less than that, he cannot save you from our sins. You must believe Jesus is who the Bible says he is. Jesus is God. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Jesus, you are the eternal Word; you are God. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that although the world doesn't recognize Jesus that you will and that you will live accordingly (v10-12) ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Galatians 4

The title is more than a religious label; you share an anointing with our Savior. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 32 Q. But why are you called a Christian? A. Because by faith I am a member of Christ and so I share in his anointing. I am anointed to confess his name, to present myself to him as a living sacrifice of thanks, to strive with a good conscience against sin and the devil in this life, and afterward to reign with Christ over all creation for all eternity. Summary This past week, we have focused on the significance of Jesus’s mediatorial office of prophet, priest, and king bound up in his title of Christ, the anointed one. Since those who follow Jesus are called Christians, a word that literally means 'little Christs,' what does it mean to share in this title? Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 32 applies how the prophet, priest, and king roles translate into the life of a Christian, as well. By faith, you are united with Christ and are anointed by the Holy Spirit to live for Him. John brings up this anointing in this passage of his first letter. The first marker is knowing and confessing the truth that Jesus is the Christ! This is the work of the Christian as a prophet: professing the truth of God, which God’s Word and Spirit testify to us. Those who deny Jesus as Christ are the deceivers. This past week, we have heard from many places in the Bible that Jesus is fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophecies regarding the Messiah: He is the true Prophet, Priest, and King. Yet these claims faced opposition through false teachers who tried to lead these young Christians astray that John is addressing. So, John directs them to abide in the truth of God’s Word that they have been taught from the beginning. This means you need to meditate on (think deeply about) Jesus and the promise of eternal life. Dig Deeper It can be easy to forget what it means to be a Christian in today’s world. We face different opponents and false teachers than John’s audience did in the first century, but his advice is still sound. His language in this passage echoes the promise of the new covenant described in Jeremiah 31, especially verses 33 through 34, “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” Make sure you personally know God and His grace! Christ delivered on the new covenant promises and shared its blessings by sending the Holy Spirit. So that in claiming the name Christian, as prophets, we can boldly confess Jesus as the Christ proclaiming the truths of His Word. As a priesthood of believers, we can live as sacrifices of thanks because of Christ’s once-and-for-all sacrifice on the cross. And as royalty belonging to God’s kingdom, we strive in this world against sin and the devil while looking forward to reigning with our Lord for eternity. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: The Holy One who is righteousness and truth ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Abide in Jesus and what He teaches you through His Word. “Fight the good fight, holding on to faith and a good conscience” (1 Tim 1:18-19) ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Galatians 3

Many want Jesus to fit their own agenda, but we can be glad He came as a King with eternal purposes. Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 31 Q. Why is he called “Christ,” meaning “anointed”? A. Because he has been ordained by God the Father and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit to be: our chief prophet and teacher who perfectly reveals to us the secret counsel and will of God for our deliverance; our only high priest who has set us free by the one sacrifice of his body, and who continually pleads our cause with the Father; and our eternal king who governs us by his Word and Spirit, and who guards us and keeps us in the freedom he has won for us. Summary In ten days, you may hear this passage read or see children waving palm branches to commemorate “Palm Sunday.” The entry into Jerusalem on a donkey at the beginning of the week that would lead Jesus to the cross was another significant event showing how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament Scripture as the expected Messiah-King. The anticipation had reached a fever pitch in Jerusalem. It was abuzz with many traveling into town for the Passover, including many who had heard Jesus’s preaching and witnessed His miracles. Jesus’ earthly ministry was primarily spent in Galilee and outside of Jerusalem. Yet, Jerusalem was always where Jesus was heading in the end. In Matthew’s account, we can see how Jesus is aware of all that will occur. He knows where the disciples can fetch a proper donkey for His royal entrance. The crowd recognized the connection to what the prophet Zechariah said, and how David had also sent his son Solomon riding in on a donkey at the beginning of his reign (1 Kings 1:33). Jesus, the Christ of the tribe of Judah and line of David, was riding into Jerusalem as her prince of peace. He was being recognized as such through the reception and shouting of “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” However, many missed what Jesus had come to Jerusalem to do and what this visitation of the Lord meant. Dig Deeper Jesus failed to meet the expectations of most of His own Jewish people in His days on earth. Most of the religious leaders fiercely opposed Him and charged Him with blasphemy. Many everyday folks were weary of the years under foreign rule and longed for Israel to be a powerful and united kingdom of God’s special people as in the days of David and Solomon, and were allured by the authority of His message and power of His miracles. Those who recognized that He might be the long-awaited Messiah still missed the greater purpose of His coming. Jesus knew that before He was to be exalted as King of Glory, He must first lay down His life as the Suffering Servant. His kingdom was not earthly nor temporary but of another world and one that will never end. The catechism gets at this eternal aspect of Christ’s reign as our King. He reigns through the governing power of His Word and Spirit, and He rules and protects those He saved from His throne of grace. It could have been easy for anyone else to get caught up in the excitement of that day and try to ride that wave of popularity. But thanks be to God, Jesus had eternal salvation in His sights. The King had come to Jerusalem to suffer, die, be buried, and rise again, securing freedom for His people forever. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: The King of Glory and the Lord Who Saves ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Galatians 2

Jesus is the perfect sacrifice and only high priest we need Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 31 Q. Why is he called “Christ,” meaning “anointed”? A. Because he has been ordained by God the Father and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit to be: our chief prophet and teacher who perfectly reveals to us the secret counsel and will of God for our deliverance; our only high priest who has set us free by the one sacrifice of his body, and who continually pleads our cause with the Father; and our eternal king who governs us by his Word and Spirit, and who guards us and keeps us in the freedom he has won for us. Summary We all have our daily routines and chores that need to be done at home and work. Engines need regular oil changes. Dentists recommend brushing your teeth twice a day. No matter how large of a meal you had yesterday, you will still be ready for another one today. And as long as there are meals, there is cleaning up to do and dishes to wash. The priests we read of in the Old Testament were never done with their work. Every day, morning and evening, they made sacrifices on behalf of the people. Each day they gave offerings to God and practiced purification rituals to be qualified to enter God’s presence. Over and over, every day, the priests were at work making sacrifices to God. The guilt and the sin piled up each day like dirty laundry. However, the book of Hebrews reflects on why the Old Testament purification rituals and sacrifices ceased in the New Testament church. There is a reason why you do not pass by animal sacrifices in the church parking lots on Sunday mornings. These rituals are no longer required because Jesus fulfilled and accomplished what the sacrificial system could only pledge and symbolize: a complete cleansing and forgiveness of sins. Dig Deeper After a hard day’s work, you may look forward to sitting in your favorite chair and putting your feet up. When you get to that point of the day, sitting down signifies your work for the day is done. However, that time can be short-lived, since there will likely be more work the next day. So, v11 paints the contrast between the priests constantly standing and working away in a job that would never be complete, and Jesus making one sacrifice and sitting down. Yet Christ offered the one perfect sacrifice and then sat down. Sitting at the right hand of God tells us that His work is done once and for all. He has entered the most Holy Place before God as our only high priest. He has made way for us to be sanctified and to enter God’s holy presence where He is. Jesus is not idle on his throne either, but also is interceding for us in prayer just like the priests would pray for the people in the holy place (Romans 8:34). So even though we add to our guilt every day (Q&A 13), Christ has made the complete and eternal payment, once-and-for-all. And that is good news in a world where there always seems to be more work. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who sacrificed His own Son as a complete payment of our sins and intercedes for us in Heaven; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Confess your sins for “he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).” ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Galatians 1

Jesus was not just a prophet in the line of prophets, but He's the chief prophet of God Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 31 Q. Why is he called “Christ,” meaning “anointed”? A. Because he has been ordained by God the Father and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit to be: our chief prophet and teacher who perfectly reveals to us the secret counsel and will of God for our deliverance; our only high priest who has set us free by the one sacrifice of his body, and who continually pleads our cause with the Father; and our eternal king who governs us by his Word and Spirit, and who guards us and keeps us in the freedom he has won for us. Summary Jesus’s earthly life is usually described as His time of humiliation until His resurrection and ascension to heaven, which is then His exaltation. The transfiguration was a unique moment when a few of Jesus’s disciples glimpsed His divine glory. It is also a confirmation of His office as the chief prophet of God. Mark mentions in verse 2 that “after six days,” the transfiguration occurred. Six days prior, Jesus was with His disciples in Caesarea Philippi, and Peter had testified that Jesus is the Christ (Mark 8:29). Then, on this mountain, Peter, James, and John saw Jesus speaking with two prominent Old Testament prophets, Moses and Elijah. Plus, Jesus radiates such a pure light, reminiscent of Moses’ encounter with meeting the Lord on the mountain. It's recorded in Exodus that “When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him (34:30).” Next, a cloud overshadowed them, just like the pillar cloud would descend over the tabernacle in the Israelites’ time in the wilderness to show God’s presence. All these elements on the mountain point to the fulfillment of Jesus as the Messiah. The voice in the cloud confirms He speaks for God, “This is my beloved Son, listen to him.” This is divine approval that Jesus, the Son of God, would declare the Word of God to His people, fulfilling His office as a prophet. At the close of this event, the other prophets disappear, and only Jesus is in front of them. Jesus was not only a prophet but the chief prophet and the one the other prophets prophesied of and pointed to (cf. Deut 18:15; Mal. 4:5). Dig Deeper Jesus would confirm His prophetic message throughout His ministry by performing miracles, making predictions of things to come, and preaching and teaching with authority. As we learned yesterday, He did not just quote Scripture but was an embodiment of it and fulfillment before their eyes. As He states within the sermon of the mount in Matthew 5:17, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” The way Jesus spoke was different from an ordinary teacher or prophet. Taken at His Word, He cannot merely be another prophet in a line of religious prophets or a great moral teacher. Even today, the Father’s voice calls us to listen to what Jesus says throughout Scripture. As Heidelberg Catechism QA31 notes, He perfectly reveals God’s secret counsel and will for our deliverance to us. He shows us the power of God to save: “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ (John 1:17).” The plan to rescue His people was made visible and fulfilled through the person and work of Jesus Christ. He is the prophet representing God to His people and God for His people. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Jesus is our chief prophet and teacher, the Word who became flesh who revealed the glory of God full of grace and truth (John 1:14) ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Jesus, as a prophet, spoke words of warning and promise. Listen to Him in whatever He tells you in His Word. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Hebrews 13

Jesus gave the shortest, most powerful sermon ever, and it's good news for you! Read / Listen Listen to passage & devotional: Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 31 Q. Why is he called “Christ,” meaning “anointed”? A. Because he has been ordained by God the Father and has been anointed with the Holy Spirit to be our chief prophet and teacher who perfectly reveals to us the secret counsel and will of God for our deliverance; our only high priest who has set us free by the one sacrifice of his body, and who continually pleads our cause with the Father; and our eternal king who governs us by his Word and Spirit, and who guards us and keeps us in the freedom he has won for us. Summary Jesus' public ministry took off like a rocket after His baptism. His cousin, John the Baptist, was already gathering crowds who went far out into the wilderness to hear this eccentric prophet speak about the coming Messiah, so you can imagine the anticipation people had after the heavens were torn open, a booming voice indicated it was pleased with 'my son,' while a dove descended upon Jesus. Soon after His baptism and subsequent months-long time of temptation in the wilderness, Jesus re-emerged into society and the miracle show began. All sorts of people were healed, water was turned to wine, and Jesus has become a rock star with mobs of people following Him everywhere He went. The opportunity came for Jesus to return to His home synagogue in Nazareth, and you can imagine the locals packed the synagogue to hear their native son who had become famous. What would he say? It just so happened that the scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to Jesus, and He unrolled it nearly all the way to the end. He read the passage quoted by Luke: The Spirit of the Lord is on me... He's anointed me... He's sent me to proclaim good news, freedom, and the Lord's blessing. When Jesus finished reading, He sat down. You can bet the packed room was on pins and needles. Every eye, Luke writes, was fastened on Jesus. Jesus then delivers one of the shortest, most powerful sermons ever preached: Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. This was the ultimate mic drop moment. It stunned those present. From that moment on, the devil, who'd just been defeated by Jesus in the desert, sets about to turn public opinion against Jesus until they ultimately had Him nailed to a cross. Dig Deeper It often may seem like Christ is simply Jesus' last name, but that's not the case. Both the Greek word Christos and the Hebrew word Mashiyach (Messiah) both are titles which mean the same thing: Jesus, the anointed one. The concept of anointing is a distinctly ancient near eastern idea. The thought of oil being poured over our head doesn't seem all that attractive to us, but in the Old Testament, it was a big deal to be anointed. In fact, only a small contingent of men were anointed: prophets, priests, and kings. As we go through this week, we're going to see how Jesus the Christ fulfills all three of those offices, and why that's so important for you. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who through His Spirit anointed His Son Jesus to save us, His covenant people; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Thank God that Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies on your behalf; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: Read the New Testament in a year, a chapter a day - Hebrews 12