KEY PASSAGE
18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:
23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’”– MATTHEW 1:18-23
JESUS IS NOW QUALIFIED TO BE YOUR BEST FRIEND IN LIFE BECAUSE HE HAS LIVED IT HIMSELF
15 For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. 16 Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].
– HEBREWS 4:15-16
14 Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help.
– HEBREWS 4:14-16
17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people.
– HEBREWS 2:17
16 It’s obvious, of course, that he didn’t go to all this trouble for angels. It was for people like us, children of Abraham. That’s why he had to enter into every detail of human life. Then, when he came before God as high priest to get rid of the people’s sins, he would have already experienced it all himself—all the pain, all the testing—and would be able to help where help was needed.
– HEBREWS 2:16-18
YOU ARE DEFINED BY THE ONE WHO SHARED IN YOUR STRUGGLE RATHER THAN BY THE STRUGGLE ITSELF
7 So Jesus said again, “I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I am the Door for the sheep [leading to life]. 8 All who came before Me [as false messiahs and self-appointed leaders] are thieves and robbers, but the [true] sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the Door; anyone who enters through Me will be saved [and will live forever], and will go in and out [freely], and find pasture (spiritual security). 10 The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].
11 I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His [own] life for the sheep.– JOHN 10:7-11
THEY MAY HAVE AND ENJOY LIFE = to have intellectual or spiritual faculties, endowments, virtues, sensations, desires, emotions, affections, faults, defects, etc
HAVE = ALSO MEANS TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OR POSSESSION
10 I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows].
– JOHN 10:10
When are you going to talk to Jesus about your life?
GROUP ACTIVATION:
I’VE LIVED IT
READ: MATTHEW 1:18-23
- JESUS IS NOW QUALIFIED TO BE YOUR BEST FRIEND IN LIFE BECAUSE HE HAS LIVED IT HIMSELF
READ: HEBREWS 4:15-16, HEBREWS 2:17
ASK:
What is happening or has happened that I need to remember Jesus understands because He has lived it?
- YOU ARE DEFINED BY THE ONE WHO SHARED IN YOUR STRUGGLE RATHER THAN BY THE STRUGGLE ITSELF
READ: JOHN 10:7-11
ASK:
When am I going to talk to Jesus about my life?
PRAY:
God, thank you for sending your son to live and experience life to the full here on earth with us. Thank you for coming close to us in the birth of Jesus. Forgive me for acting like you don’t understand life. I promise to talk to you first about my life because you understand. Amen.