Christ is referred to in Luke 1:78 and 2 Peter 1:19 by two related terms that both indicate the light he brought into the world. These 2 concepts are translated several different ways in different English versions, probably because the phrases are not being used literally and figurative speech is difficult to translate.

The KJV and ASV are similar. Luke 1:78, “Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,” the ESV says, “because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high”. The Greek word that is translated as dayspring and sunrise is used 9 other times in the New Testament and literally translated ‘east’, but east obviously wouldn’t fit in this verse. The idea of a new day dawning is probably what is aimed for. Jesus is the source of a new day, a new light shining in a world full of darkness.

The King James in 2 Peter 1:19 says, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:” Others translate ‘day star’ as ‘morning star’. This is the only place this Greek word appears and it is different from the word for the Sun. In this case again the idea of a new day and enlightenment is presented. Peter specifically tells us the day star is going to rise not in the sky, but in our hearts. We can have the light of Christ, the understanding of the prophecies about him enlighten us so that we recognize him for who he is, the true light of the world.

Have you allowed the Day Star to bring light to the darkness of your world? Is he shining in your heart? Satan wants to darken our understanding, but Christ strives to illuminate our hearts and minds. Don’t let Satan win.

​The Bible describes the church as a building made up not of bricks and stone, but of living Christians. Ephesians 2:20 explains that the foundation for this temple being built for the glory of God is the teaching and examples of the apostles and prophets and that Jesus is the Cornerstone. That makes him the most important of course.

We don’t use Cornerstones in many of our buildings today. Everything is wood frames or steel beams and we don’t really build the way they did. The cornerstone is the most important, usually largest and always the first stone laid and with good reason. That large stone will affect everything that comes after it. The orientation of the corner stone will affect which direction the building is facing. If it is not level you could easily wind up with the leaning tower of Piza when you are finished.

Jesus is our cornerstone so that as we are built around and on top of him we will face the right direction as well as being stable and upright. The image of Christ the cornerstone was prophesied all the way back in Psalm 118. In verse 22 of that Psalm he is pictured as a stone that the builders rejected, but that became the cornerstone. This verse is quoted 5 times in the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, and 1 Peter. The builders are the religious leaders of Jesus’ day and they rejected him. They wanted to build according to their own plan and not God’s.

What about you and me? Will we be like them and reject Jesus? Or will we accept him as the cornerstone God made him and allow God to build us on Christ as he sees fit? Peter says this cornerstone is chosen and precious and if we will believe in him we will not be put to shame. Let’s trust the master builder and build our lives and be built in his church the way he wants us to be.

​In Luke 2 Jesus is taken to the temple and we see the first person who recognizes him for who he truly is. In verses 25-26 we read, “Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.  And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.” 

After seeing Jesus he praised God for being allowed to see God’s salvation. He also points to the fact that Jesus will be a light to reveal God to the Gentiles and be a cause for many in Israel to rise or fall. Certainly, the decision to believe in Christ or reject him made a huge impact on Israel. 

Simeon is ready to die now that he has experienced seeing the Christ, but what was so special about it? For centuries the Jews had been looking for the Christ and probably millions had died disappointed that the Christ didn’t come in their lifetime. This man was not only part of a special generation, but he recognized how special it was to be there to see Christ.

Christ is a word that literally translated would mean anointed. Jesus was the special fulfilment of what the Lord had prophesied that there would be one who would be his anointed or chosen one. He was chosen or anointed to be prophet, priest, and king. We may not have been there to see God’s chosen one in person, but we can see him through the scriptures.

There is one more thing Christ has been chosen or anointed to do, judge the world. If we won’t see Christ through the Bible now and anoint him king of our lives, he will come as a judge with a sentence of condemnation and it will be too late. We need to be like Simeon and see Christ before we die, and help others meet him, too.

​Today is our Homecoming and Friends & Family Day so let’s talk about those 3 words. We often hear things like: There’s no place like home.; Family is the most important thing.; A  friend is one you call to bail you out of jail, your best friend is in jail with you; Home is where the heart is.; Family is where they have to take you in.; With friends like you who needs enemies. There are dozens more, some serious, some humorous, but all reminding us that home, family, and friends are important.

Home should be something that we think of positively like the prodigal son in Luke 15, but it isn’t always the case. Not all of us have always had a happy home, but that is where the church should come in. Heaven is ultimately the home where there is neverending joy and peace, but our church home should foreshadow what Heaven will be like. We want everyone who comes to Blue Ridge to feel at home in the best way possible.

Friends are truly a beautiful part of life. In the Bible we read of David and Jonathan who were the closest of friends, Jesus said we could be his friends if we do what he commands, Proverbs says there is even a friend that sticks closer than a brother. As Christian friends we should be closer to one another than even some of our physical family members. We share a faith and a hope that the world doesn’t have and that brings us closer together.

Family is another of those words that should bring good feelings and good memories and I hope it does for you, but I know it doesn’t for everyone. Some families fuss and fight and mistreat each other. In some cases physical family causes pain and sorrow, and when that is the case a church family can make up for what was missing. We are supposed to be God’s Family and if he is our father we should act like him, love like him, talk like him, try to think like him, and treat others like he does. If you have a good physical family we can add a spiritual family to it, if you didn’t or don’t have a good relationship with physical relatives we can be the family you don’t have. 

You can’t have too many good friends, family members, and homes. We want to be part of your life so we can bless you.

If there is one thing we all associate with Jesus it is salvation. We hear about how Jesus died to save us quite regularly. We know we can’t save ourselves and no one else can save us. Salvation has to come from Jesus. He said that was his purpose on earth,“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”(Luke 19:10). 

​So, there is certainly no issue with Jesus bringing us eternal salvation, but Hebrews 5:9 says, “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;”. What does it mean to be an author? We usually think of an author as one who writes a book or a story and Jesus never wrote anything as far as we know, so what does it mean?

The word translated ‘author’ here is only used this one time and it literally means the “causer”, the one who causes something to happen. Some translate it a ‘Source of eternal salvation”. Without a doubt Jesus caused eternal salvation by the action he took in coming and dying on our behalf. Certainly Jesus is the Source of our eternal salvation just as an author is the source of the book or story that he then writes. And Jesus has a book of life where he has written the rest of this story, the names of those who obey him and receive the eternal life that he authored.

If you have ever been in trouble of any kind you know that being saved from it is wonderful. Even a temporary salvation is a great thing. How much more then when we have an eternal salvation offered to us? Have you taken advantage of the eternal salvation Jesus authored for you? Will you let him write your name in his book with others who have obeyed him? Are you living each day like someone who has eternal salvation and eternal life? 1 John 5:13 tells we can know that we “have eternal life”, but are we living up to it? 

​jp

In the Old Testament the first person who was anointed was Aaron, the High Priest, and then his sons were anointed as priests (Exodus 28:41). The practice of using a special oil to anoint people as a sign that they were set apart by God for a certain purpose began with the first priests under the Law of Moses, but the idea of anointing reached all the way back to Jacob at Bethel when he poured oil on a rock and renamed the place “House of God” in Genesis 28:18-19. 

​The priests were not the only people to be anointed and Jacob’s pillow rock was not the only thing anointed. In fact anointing is mentioned over 150 times in the Bible, though not always with oil and not always for the purpose of consecration to God. Judges 9 first mentions the idea of a king being anointed during the telling of an allegorical story, and in 1 Samuel 2 Hannah sings a song of prophecy looking forward to a time when the Lord would have a king as His anointed one. Later her son anoints the first king over Israel, Saul, in 1 Samuel 10:1. 

In 1 Kings 19:15-16 we read of the third category of person who was anointed. Elijah was to anoint Elisha to take his place as a prophet of God. Not every prophet was God’s anointed messenger, and not every priest or king was anointed with God’s approval, but those He anointed were special. None were as special; however, as His own Son whom He anointed prophet and priest and king. He certainly had good news to proclaim. Luke 4:18-19  “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,  19  to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.”

The only question for us is: Have I made God’s anointed my prophet and priest and king?

JP

According to dictionary.com an advocate is defined in three ways: 1) a person who speaks or writes in support or defense of a person, cause, etc. (usually followed by of): an advocate of peace., 2) a person who pleads for or in behalf of another; intercessor., or 3) a person who pleads the cause of another in a court of law. So in what way is Christ our advocate? Let’s notice what John writes: 1 John 2:1 “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” 

​In the verse above Jesus could be filling any or all of the 3 roles defined. Does Jesus speak to our Heavenly Father in support of us? Yes! The devil is our accuser and Jesus is our biggest supporter and defender. Does Jesus plead to the Father for us? Is He interceding on our behalf? Absolutely! Will Jesus plead our cause on the great judgment day when all will be in court? Without a doubt if we are faithful to him He will be faithful to us as well. Remember there will be those that he will not recognize on that day and will not defend. 

Jesus is doing and will do all of those things for his disciples, but the question is are we His disciples? Are we willing to be advocates for Jesus? He said that if we acknowledge Him to men then He will acknowledge us in front of His Father, Matthew 10:32-33; Luke 12:8-9. What are we doing to acknowledge Him? Are we proud of Him or ashamed of Him? Do we want people to associate us with Him or not? It might not be popular and some may think we are strange, but if we want Him to speak up for us in Heaven we must speak up for Him here on Earth. Let’s never be ashamed of having Jesus in our corner fighting for us, and let’s get out there and fight for Him, peacefully of course.