2017.12.24_The Gospel of Heaven (Christmas Eve Service)

[Matthew 11:2-19]

God
does His own work.
His creation of the world
was His own work (Heb 1:2)
and so was the sending of the Word to the world.
The word of God as the first covenant
was given through the Law and the Prophets,
while as the new covenant,
it was made through blood and truth
The coming of the Word incarnate to the world is the gospel (Jn 1:14).
The Law and prophets were until John (Mt 11:13),
and became manifest as sin, death, sickness and curses.
The gospel however, overcame these
and manifested as the resurrection (Mt 11:5).
Though mankind suffered violence under the first covenant,
under the new covenant, heaven suffers violence by mankind (Mt 11:12).
And hence forceful men lay hold of heaven.
Elijah is the last prophet of the Law,
who prepared the way of the Lord (Mal 4:5).
Who is He that Elijah came ahead of and prepared the way for?
He is Jesus Christ.
He is not a worldly king who wears fine clothing (Mt 11:8)
or a duplicitous mystic who is easily swayed
but the Savior who came by the Holy Spirit and blood.
◌ Our hope is in the One
whom John the Baptist prepared the way for,
namely Jesus Christ.
◌ Jesus is not the one who comes dressed in fine clothing;
He is the Word (logos) clothed with a robe dipped in God’s blood.
He is the truth and the resurrection (Jn 11:25).
◌ Do not be mistaken and ignore Jesus,
but look at the Lord.
Jesus did not come to give riches but salvation.
※ Though we were under the attack of the Law,
believe in the gospel, fight back and get hold of heaven.
One can seize heaven through the righteousness of God and the truth.