30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 21 10-19 WATCH AND PRAY II 09 Luke 21 16-17 Blessed because of Jesus
📖 Luke 21:10-19
19May2021 - *Blessed because of Jesus* - _Luke 21:10-19_ - WATCH AND PRAY II (9) – Bible reading: _Colossians 1:15-17_
The Lord is calling us to live in a habitat relationship with Jesus. We find all our needs and even those things that we are not conscious of, in Jesus.
We need to grow more and more in this reality of Jesus being our habitat. When we are increasing in this truth, continuously, then it does not matter what the world does to us, including those who are close to us.
Instead, we will be able to respond with love to those who hate us and trouble us because of our faith in Jesus.
_Matthew 5:44-45 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, (45) that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust._
We will be able to love the difficult people in our lives because we are secure in the habitat of Jesus and from that position of strength we respond with the love of Jesus.
The threats or persecutions that are meted out to us by those close to us will actually drive us more deeply into our security in Jesus.
_Luke 21:16-17 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. (17) And *you will be hated by all for My name's sake*.-
Let us focus on the name of Jesus. Let’s focus on our strengths and be assured of where we stand and on whom we stand, instead of looking at the matter of being hated for the name of Jesus.
Here in this passage, we get a glimpse of Jesus. *We belong to Jesus*. We come under His banner. We are not apologetic about our identity. We invite people to put us into a box and we welcome it saying, “please feel free to place us under the name of Jesus for we belong to Him.”
_Colossians 1:15-17 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (16) For *by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. (17) And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist*._
Jesus is the source, the beginning of it all. This is the perennial question in the minds of many people as to where is our beginning. Where did we come from? What is our starting point?
The answer is given without ambiguity here, *Jesus is the beginning*. Yet, many of us Christians are not willing to, unashamedly, declare the name of Jesus to the world.
_Ephesians 1:20-21 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, (21) far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come._
This same Jesus, who is the beginning, who has created all things and for whom all things exist, died for us. He took our death upon Himself and He died. He was separated from the Father, just as man is separated from God the Father.
In response to the willingness of Jesus to take our place and pay the penalty of our sin, which is death, on Himself, what did the Father do?
The Father made Jesus sit at His right hand, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and *every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come*.
Once we have a grasp of the enormity of the name of Jesus, we can turn around and tell those who trouble us, hate us and persecute us, “You can do whatever you wish to me for I know to whom I belong”.
Do you see how the name of Jesus gives us confidence, freedom and joy? We are able to love the unlovable and tell them to repent, return and be restored to fullness of life in Jesus because of the name of Jesus.
_Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, (10) that *at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, (11) and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord*, to the glory of God the Father._
Today, people are not acknowledging the name of Jesus. They treat Jesus as a swear word. They are carrying on life as though Jesus is the least of all matters to be concerned about.
One day it will shock all the world to realise that Jesus is the one above all and they will fall and call Him, “Lord” but by then the doors would have been shut for man to repent, return and be restored to fullness of life.
_Acts 4:11-12 This is the 'STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED BY YOU BUILDERS, WHICH HAS BECOME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE.' (12) Nor is there salvation in any other, for *there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved*."_
Salvation in the name of Jesus is comprehensive. There is no other name for man to be saved from the penalty of sin. No other name for man to be saved from the power of sin and there is no other name for man to be saved from the presence of sin when those who have come under the lordship of Christ will receive a new eternal body.
*Thought to ponder*
```Are you hesitant to name the name of Jesus in public today?```