Christmas P2 Radio Broadcast Tuesday 12/26/2023

Classic Christianity – Christmas P2 (12-26-23)

Jesus is God With Us, The Firstborn From All Creation

~ Jesus was and is the perfect man of God. Jesus was and is always will be God, but he was the first born from all of creation. It is very important for us to understand this, that God took on a Man suit and became the perfect Man of God, with the Holy Spirit alive living in him from the time of his birth. We were all born of Adam to begin with. Jesus was unlike us, for no one had the Spirit of God living in them to begin with after Adam and Eve sinned. However, when we become born again of the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit comes to make us a new creation in Christ Jesus. We have the same Holy Spirit that gives Jesus life, living in us. Each and every child of God is now the temple of God. And while here in this physical body we are the set apart ones of God, and he uses each of us to be his representative. For Jesus was and is God with us, but He sent His Spirit to be in us while we wait for his return.

We also need to be reminded, that while Jesus was growing up as a child and becoming a Man, that none of the those people who came in contact with Jesus were born again of the Spirit until after Pentecost. So we see in the stories that even Mary, pondered things, of how this could be so. Yes, an angel of God spoke to her. Yes, she was a virgin. Yes, she was pregnant with Jesus. Yes Mary was going to face a lot of trials and tribulations in life. Imagine her telling the story of the angel telling her what was going to take place and what was taking place, and having hardly anyone believe her. Imagine the children she had afterwards and her telling them how special Jesus was. Imagine no one believing her and subsequently no one believing Jesus either. They called him crazy, out of his mind when he was older. Yet we are told that these things are true and yet the people that were the closest to him still discounted the word of God.

The bottom line is that a person must be born of God to have understanding of all Truth from the word of God.

And we still tend to add the lies of Satan to our belief system, rather than trusting in the word of God. And there are times where we don’t even realize we are trusting in the teaching of man rather than the Word of God. For Jesus is the Creator of All things visible and invisible. He tells us about his creation in Genesis and yet we discount that too and give lip service to the Word of God.

Reminder, even Bob George mentioned to us repeatedly, do not trust him but go directly to the word of God to test things and allow the Holy Spirit to teach you ALL TRUTH. For Bob knew he could be telling us things that were not true, for he himself corrected his teaching along the way over the many years of teaching, especially in regards to forgiveness from God having occurred one time for all sins at the cross. And as a reminder, that teaching today still ruffles feathers of the legalists. They can’t stand that the sins of the world have been forgiven at the cross. And don’t forget, we were all at one time deceived by our religious systems that we were brought up in and came out of. For it is okay to repent of the teaching of man, and start listening to the Spirit of Truth from the teaching of God.

~ “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” ^{John 1:1-5}

~ “Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel” (which means, “God with us”). ^{Matthew 1:23}

~ The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ^{Colossians 1:15}

~ And God made the FIRMAMENT, and divided the waters which were under the FIRMAMENT from the waters which were above the FIRMAMENT: and it was so. And God called the FIRMAMENT Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day. And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. And God called the dry land EARTH; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good. And God said, Let the EARTH bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the EARTH: and it was so. And the EARTH brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And the evening and the morning were the third day. ^{Genesis 1:7-13}

~ In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. ^{John 1:1-5}

~ “We talked about last week as to how Mary had pondered these things in her heart. And you sit back and wonder, well, what were all of the things that she was pondering in her heart? We talked about the fact that she obviously knew that being pregnant with a child and not yet have been officially married, that the disgrace from people we’re certainly going to come upon her for the remaining portion of her life, being misunderstood, of rejection, insult, injury, all of the things that you and I experience in our day to day life. Mary was pondering these things happening to her. You also would know that Mary would be pondering in her heart, some of the scriptures that were connected with the very thing was happening because there was no mystery at all that a Messiah was going to come. There was no mystery as to where the Messiah was going to come and people in those days knew the Scripture, they were taught the Scriptures. And so this was not an unknown thing in regard to the Messiah coming. In the book of Micah, chapter five, you see the prophecy that was given in regard to the birth of our Savior. When the wise men were, were called to find out where was this king supposed to be born? Why they knew where the king was supposed to be born, where this Messiah was supposed to be born. How did they know that? Did they read them in a Jerusalem news? Did they have Jewish Reader’s Digest? Where do you get that information from? They got it from the source of information that they knew was true. And that was their scriptures. And so they perceive the scriptures for what they are their truth. And they’re, they’re the the Word of God. And it’s the inerrant Word of God. And so the Scriptures read for you, Bethlehem, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me, one who will be ruler over Israel. Now that was a threat, was it not to the rulers of Israel, you will be the ruler over Israel whose origins are from an old and from ancient times. And so these people knew that the Messiah was coming. If that was not the problem, the issue is, who is that Messiah? And is this baby that I hold in my arms? Is this the Messiah? The angel had announced to her that that was that they were to name his name Jesus, Immanuel, meaning God with us. But again, folks, can we not hear things and not comprehend 100% what it means? And so even though you may hear, you still are going to be in a situation of pondering in your heart, is this, what this means?” Bob George.

Announcer 0:04
Welcome to Classic Christianity Radio with Bob George. As we celebrate the Christmas season together, we are reminded of God’s greatest gift to you in Me, His Son, Jesus Christ, we are told in the scriptures for God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. It is our prayer at Bob George Ministries that you would accept God’s gift of eternal life and know how much you were deeply loved by God. Go to BobGeorge.net online to find out how you can grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ. We have many books, CDs, and other teaching materials available for your personal growth as you discover more about God’s unconditional love and forgiveness for you. Let’s now join Bob as he presents practical biblical insights as he helps people experience a life of faith, hope and love in Jesus Christ.

Bob George 1:02
The word of Bethlehem the name of that is the city of bread, which is interesting that Jesus identified himself to the knot as the bread of life. And so it says because he belonged to the house in the line of David, he went there to register Mary who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. And while they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in clothes and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shown around them, and they were terrified. We’ve talked about that last week as to how the angelic intervention took place in regard to the birth of Christ. First of all, as it went to the parents of John the Baptist, it went, the angel appeared to Joseph letting him know that this child that was in the womb of Mary was born by the Holy Spirit of God, an angel appeared to Mary, an angel appeared to the shepherds. And so their shepherds route, an edge in the fields keeping watch. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them in the glory of the Lord shown around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, don’t be afraid I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you, and he is Christ the Lord, and this will be assigned to you, you will find the baby wrapped in clothes and swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. And suddenly a great company of the heavenly hosts appeared with the angel praising God and saying glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men to whom his favor rests. Now when the angels had left them, and gone into heaven, the shepherd said to one another, Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about. And so they hurried off. And they found Mary and Joseph and the baby who was lying in a manger. And when they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told about this child. And all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The Shepherd’s returned, glorifying and praising God for the things that they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

We talked about last week as to how Mary had pondered these things in her heart. And you sit back and wonder, well, what were all of the things that she was pondering in her heart? We talked about the fact that she obviously knew that being pregnant with a child and not yet have been officially married, that the disgrace from people we’re certainly going to come upon her for the remaining portion of her life, being misunderstood, of rejection, insult, injury, all of the things that you and I experience in our day to day life. Mary was pondering these things happening to her. You also would know that Mary would be pondering in her heart, some of the scriptures that were connected with the very thing was happening because there was no mystery at all that a Messiah was going to come. There was no mystery as to where the Messiah was going to come and people in those days knew the Scripture, they were taught the Scriptures. And so this was not an unknown thing in regard to the Messiah coming. In the book of Micah, chapter five, you see the prophecy that was given in regard to the birth of our Savior. When the wise men were, were called to find out where was this king supposed to be born? Why they knew where the king was supposed to be born, where this Messiah was supposed to be born. How did they know that? Did they read them in a Jerusalem news? Did they have Jewish Reader’s Digest? Where do you get that information from? They got it from the source of information that they knew was true. And that was their scriptures. And so they perceive the scriptures for what they are their truth. And they’re, they’re the the Word of God. And it’s the inerrant Word of God. And so the Scriptures read for you, Bethlehem, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me, one who will be ruler over Israel. Now that was a threat, was it not to the rulers of Israel, you will be the ruler over Israel whose origins are from an old and from ancient times. And so these people knew that the Messiah was coming. If that was not the problem, the issue is, who is that Messiah? And is this baby that I hold in my arms? Is this the Messiah? The angel had announced to her that that was that they were to name his name Jesus, Immanuel, meaning God with us. But again, folks, can we not hear things and not comprehend 100% what it means? And so even though you may hear, you still are going to be in a situation of pondering in your heart, is this, what this means?

And so we look at that and all through the life of Jesus, you can imagine him growing up as a small child, they took him into Egypt for a period of time and then returned, growing up and supposedly working in his father’s carpenter shop. After Jesus birth, Mary and Joseph had other children. And so he had brothers and he had sisters. I’ve often laughingly said, How would you like to have Jesus as your brother doing everything perfectly all the time? But he had brothers and he had sisters, he worked like you and me. He was he was human took upon himself humanity or human form in every way. And how could you not look at that as just a small child? And again, ponder in your heart? Is this the one? You remember on other occasions when Jesus was older, and we won’t get into the scriptures on that, but where Mary and her brothers went to him, and the indicator in Scripture is that they thought he was a little off, that he was ill, something was wrong here. Here. He was claiming all of these claims about himself. And people were saying, This man is crazy. And they went to him with that thought. Now, that’s Mary, who had a pronouncement from an angel, who had a child when she had never been with a man, that ought to be enough signs. But you see, still, we’re human, we still have this humanity of ours, do we not? And in the humanity of ours, we can know something and yet still wonder. And so it was only over a period of time of watching these things. Mary, going ultimately to the cross. And they’re watching her son that she loved more than life itself. hanging on a cross, beaten half to death, crucified like a common criminal, and die on a cross. And in this flood of tears, and agony, and before his death, looking down at his relative John, and saying, John, this is your mother take care of her. History tells us that that’s exactly what took place that the apostle John took Mary, into her into his home. Obviously, that could not have been the case had Joseph still been alive. So we know pretty well something and that is that in Jesus lifetime, his father Joseph died. And so Mary. And Jesus said to Mary, go with John, that was a cousin. It’s strange, he didn’t say go with your sons. But he said, Go with John. Why? We don’t know. We don’t know those, answer those questions. But history and tradition tells us that ultimately, John moved with Mary into Ephesus. And there’s and they lived there.

Now, folks, when you look at this whole story unfolding, and as the song that Amy sang today, that Mary, did you know, that when you kiss the face of your baby, that you are kissing the face of God? A very difficult thing to comprehend. And folks, it was over time and over years, because it was, in these later years, that you will see, beginning to see who Jesus was. And to see the full implication of that. So let’s turn back to the book of Colossians. In chapter one, beginning in verse, verse 15, verse 15, chapter one. He is the image of the invisible God, the first born over all creation. Now folks, we read that sometimes and say the first born overall creation, a there’s a lot of people born for him. Is that right? There? A lot of people born before him. Why do they call the first born over all creation? Jesus was the first man ever born alive spiritually. Adam, was the first man ever created alive spiritually, Jesus called the last Adam is the only man ever born alive spiritually. Adam was created alive, spiritually and when he sinned, they die, did they not? And death is the absence of life. And so Adam died spiritually. We are born into this world, not in the image of God. But it’s in the sixth chapter of Genesis in the image of Adam. He was born dead, or created alive and became dead spiritually. We are born dead spiritually. All of us are born into this world, in the loins of Adam, dead, spiritually dead to what? To the life of God living in you. We are not born in God, we are born alienated from God, every child, every person born alienated from God. If any man be in Christ, he has a new what? Creation. So God had to create a new man out of the old and so if any man is in Christ, he is a new creation. What is the creation? God coming to live in humanity. That’s a new creation, you weren’t born that way. That was you are recreated that way. And when you and I were born again, we were restored to the life that Adam possessed before the fall. And now like Adam was created, we are born alive bodily, soulessly, and spiritually.

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Announcer 14:23
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Bob George 15:17
The difference between you and me and Adam is that Adam was created alive with the ability to die, you and I were born again alive with a total inability to ever die again. And the only reason for that is because of the cross which took away the sins of the world. And sin is what caused spiritual death. And in the taking away of the sins of the world, he eliminated the thing that caused spiritual death. And that’s why you and I have a life called what? Eternal life in Christ Jesus, a new creation. Now, that is good news. And so why do they say that Jesus was the first born over all creation? Because he was the only man ever born alive spiritually. And that’s why his virgin birth is not up for grabs. To deny the spiritual the virgin birth of Jesus is to deny the fact that you and I could be born again. Because without his virgin birth, he would have been born dead like you and me. And the reason he’s the only man who ever laid his life down for you and me, he’s the only man who ever had a life to lay down for you and me. The first born from among all of us who are called the dead.

Okay, first born over all creation, For by Him all things were created things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things were created by Him, and for him. Now, what is the book of Genesis say? In the beginning, what? God did what? Created. Who does it say here created all things? Jesus. Now, what are you talking about here? Jesus, He is the Creator. By by him all things were created things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible thrones powers, rulers and authorities, all things are created by Him and for Him. Now, if all things were created by Him, and for him, and in the beginning God created, then who is Jesus? So people who want to deny the deity of Christ, are going to have to deny the logic in regard to the scriptures, are you not? Now do you suppose people understood all this? You suppose people understood the Triune God prior to the time of Jesus coming? Not at all. And that’s why if you would have asked a Hebrew, who’s your God, he had says, The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He’s the one who appeared to these man, he’s that their God is my God. And Jesus came to show you who that God is, and what his name is. And the name of our God is Jesus. And we have to understand folks, all things are created by Him all things were created for him. And he is the creator of all things. Suppose Mary knew that when she was pondering these things in her heart? I don’t think so. These are things that had to be revealed over time. Now, it says He is before all things. And in Him, all things hold together. Who do you suppose is holding this universe together? Now that’s an awesome thought, isn’t it?

So all things He is before all things in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, his church. Now, folks, we’ve talked about that so many times. That the head of this body that’s called the church. The church is a body of people. It’s not the place down on the corner, walk and, don’t walk. It’s not a building with stained glass. The Church of Jesus Christ is people. The very moment that you step out of Adam into Christ, and Christ steps out of heaven into you, you become a child of the living God, you have been baptized, placed into his body. And that’s why 2000 years ago, if you were to look for the body of Christ, you had had to go to Israel and find Jesus. And there you would have found the body of Christ. But he said, I’m going away. You say, Well, if you’re going away, how are we going to see you, where’s your body going to be? He said, Oh, don’t worry about that. I’m going away. But I’m going to send my Spirit into you, and you’re going to be my body, and greater things will you do. What is he talking about? Do more miracles? No, he’s saying, right now I am limited in time and space to one location. In a few days, my body is going to be all over the world. It’s going to be all over the world, it’s going to be an all colors and creeds. Because my body is going to be people in whom I live. It’s not an organization. It’s an organism. You’re a part of the body of Christ, whether you’re sitting here on Sunday, or whether you’re sitting at home. You are the body of Christ. It’s not a building. It’s not a location. And so when he talks about the church, we’ve made it into an organization, a building. And we’ve got organizational structures, and we say, ah, that’s the church. No, it isn’t. The people is the church. You’re the church. You’re the representative of the kingdom of God here on this earth, right where you are, wherever you are, Penny, you’re a representative of the kingdom of God right here on this earth. That’s what the church is. And we’ve made it into an organizational structure, and a control freak. So that we can keep people in bondage. And say, there’s nothing that’s going to be worthwhile being done unless it’s done in the pew. As I say, that’s why they call them pews because there’s made dead people sitting in them. Can’t do anything, unless it’s here. Say, folks, this is the least significant thing you’ll do all week. Because the Christian life has not lived in an assembly, the Christian life is lived out in the marketplace of life. It’s lived at your schools, where you go in your homes and your neighborhoods. That’s where the Christian life is lived.

And so he says that he’s the head of this body, the church, he is the beginning and the first born from among the dead. There again, the firstborn from among the dead. Who’s the dead? We were. Who was the first born among the dead? He was. Who’s been born again since then? We are everyone who has come to Christ by faith since that moment of resurrection. So He is the firstborn from among the dead so that now here’s the reason so that in everything he might have the supremacy. If we don’t see him as the head, then we’re going to name another head, are we not? And that head’s going to be supreme. And that’s why today you have Pope’s that are supreme, you have Christian leaders who are supreme. And Jesus is takes a backseat to the whole deal. Folks, when you see the church for what it is. It’s not an organization, its people, there is only one head that you can turn to. And that’s him. And he managed to stay that way. But we meant it to do something else that’s why six people come you know, you’ll see people coming in for bad way. You can’t be baptized unless you’re a Baptist. Or you can’t be baptized unless you belong to our denomination or you camp. Does that make any sense at all if you understand this truth? I mean, what are you talking or you can’t take communion That’s where I’m at. You can’t take communion unless you’re belong to our church. You can’t take communion unless you’re a Presbyterian or Methodist. Have you ever been in a church like that? Where you can’t take communion? Unless you’re one of us? Are you in Christ? Well, if you’re in Christ, you can celebrate the fact that you’re in Christ, any place. We take the Lord’s Supper, I want to tell you some folks, there’s only one thing or one person you belong to. That’s him. You don’t belong here. You belong to Him. You come to fellowship here. Well, we praise God for that. It’s fun, because you’re with a bunch of free people. But you don’t have a membership here. Do you? Ever have we passed out a membership cards to anybody? No, we’re not going to. Why? Because you’re never going to be a member here. You’re only a member there. The only person you belong to is Christ Jesus. And that means any place you go, you’re a part of the body of Christ. I tell you, you’re not gonna get you’re not gonna grow to 20,000 membership that way, I guarantee you that. But who needs that? I mean, what do you want, with 100 born again, Christians and 19,900, carnal Christians, or non Christians to take up space, and time and money. So I just assumed have a small group of born again believers than a what a huge group of the mix. And so we have to understand, folks, this is what the body of Christ is all about. Now, it says that God was pleased to have all of his fullness to dwell in him. So if you want to know the Father, who do you get to know? The Son. Jesus said, I and the Father are what? One and if you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.

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