After All He’s Done for Me

Preparing for the Coming of Christ

We just came through the Christmas season where we as churches and families celebrated the wonderful birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. As I thought of that great world-changing event, I started to consider all that God had done to bring that event to come to pass. So let us consider what our great God did to prepare for His coming.

Prophecies Foretelling His Coming

First, He used Prophets to prepare the people to be watching for His coming:

• Gen. 3:15 – the Messiah would bruise Satan’s head
• Gen. 49:10 – from the tribe of Judah
• Isa. 9:6 – would be proclaimed GOD
• Isa. 9:7 – occupy the throne of David
• Isa. 7:14 – born of a virgin
• Micah 5:2 – born in Bethlehem
• Deut. 18:15 – Moses spoke of His coming
• Dan. 9:26 – He would appear and be cut off
• Hos. 11:1 – come out of Egypt
• Isa. 53:5 – beaten with stripes
• Isa. 53:12 – die with the wicked
• Psa. 22:16 – hands and feet pierced
• Zech. 12:10 – side pierced
• Psa. 34:20 – no bones broken
• Zech. 9:9 – ride upon a donkey
• Psa. 41:9 – betrayed by a friend
• Zech. 11:12 – betrayal price would be 30 pieces of silver
• Zech. 11:13 – betrayal price would buy a potter’s field
• Isa. 53:3 – be rejected by the people
• Psa. 69:21 – Messiah would be given vinegar to drink
• Psa. 22:18 – men would gamble for His clothes
• Isa. 53:9 – buried with the rich
• Psa. 16:10 – raised from the dead
• Psa. 68:18 – ascend into the sky

One commentator said a total of 248 prophecies in all, trying to prepare the Jewish people for the greatest event in history. Some were looking, but unfortunately many were not. It kind of reminds us of the mindset of the world in which we find ourselves.

God Prepared Two Young People of Faith

Secondly, God prepared two young people of faith to be the parents of the Christ child.

Mary

• thou art highly favoured
• right lineage – through David
• engaged to a man with the right heritage
• was a virgin
• was from Nazareth – less affluent background

Joseph

• was a just man
• descendant of David
• betrothed to Mary, a one-year engagement that was just like they were married but without the privileges of marriage
• born in the lineage of David, which the census would require them to travel to Bethlehem

One more special thing must be said about Joseph. He was tenderhearted in heart and character. When he found out about Mary being with child, he could have divorced her and let her out for public shame or worse. But before and then after the angel came to him in a dream and told him God’s plan, being a man of faith he quickly married her and saved her reputation.

God Prepared a Special Census

Thirdly, God prepared a special census.

Luke 2:1 – “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.”

This demanded that Joseph and Mary, great with child, go to Bethlehem. Micah 5:2.

We could go on, with the innkeeper providing a clean stable when there were no more rooms in town, and the shepherds in the fields nearby to them came quickly to see the Christ child that would change some of their lives forever.

It is truly wonderful to consider all our great God did to bring REDEMPTION to lost mankind. Jesus paid the debt that we owed but could not pay. He nailed our sins to the cross of Calvary. He became our gift of eternal life.

Rom. 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death (spiritual death – separation from God), BUT the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

I pray that if you have never repented of your sin and put your trust in Jesus Christ as your Saviour, that you would do it today.

Sanctity of Life

Now this month we celebrate SANCTITY OF LIFE. This is something that is close to God’s heart. Let me challenge you to get off the sidelines, pastors and people alike. I believe that we as Bible believers are getting sidetracked as to what our ministries are to be concerned with.

We knew a pastor that spent 3–4 days a week on the golf course during regular church business hours. Another church built a new building consisting of a gym and school rooms, and the church met on one side of the gym in folding chairs. They operated a school with a church as a sideline.

Baptists for Life are in the battle for life. We have lost many churches and their people to help us in the battle because Life has not been kept in the forefront of the preaching and teaching they hear.

Pastors need to step up their game.

WHERE THERE IS NO VISION, THE PEOPLE PERISH.

To borrow a scriptural phrase from Wisconsin Family Council:
“My people PERISH from lack of KNOWLEDGE.”

May we be the kind of pastors and people who get a hold of God’s heart on the SANCTITY OF LIFE for the innocent unborn and the elderly who may be next.

A good wake-up call would be to go to the Abortion Clock. It records in real time the babies around the world as they are aborted. It is unsettling to view. The web address is usabortionclock.org.

Please join us in the battle for LIFE.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is a chorus that I often sing:

“After all He’s done for me.
After all He’s done for me.
How can I do less than give Him my Best,
And live for Him completely.
After all He’s done for me.
Let’s get busy for Him.”

Tim Burlingame
Member of the Board, BFLW