As Christmas approaches, preparing for God’s Gift, Who came over 2,000 years ago, is the most important part of Christmas. It is not as though I forget Him the rest of the year, but as the world prepares for the season of Christmas, so much happens…shopping, decorating, spending more money than one has by taking out loans or using credit, preparing a large meal for lot of family and friends, parties, etc. The older I become, the less Christmas looks like all of that for me. It is a holy day, not a holiday, for me. Yes, I do a few of those Christmas things, but very little. I am drawn closer to the Lord. I want to delve into just Who this precious Gift is for me, discovering newness about Jesus all of the time. I want to live for Him in the ways that He wants me to live. I want to know Him…to really KNOW Him.
Jesus is the BEGINNING OF THE CREATION OF GOD
“To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says this:….” Revelation 3:14
the Beginning
ἀρχή
archē
that by which anything begins to be, the origin, the active cause
Jesus is the very first, the ultimate start of all that was to come.
of the creation
κτίσις
ktisis
the sum or aggregate of things created
Jesus was the first of all to be created. Everything else came after Him, through Him, by Him. Amen.
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. John 1:1-2
From Matthew Henry’s Commentary:
“From whom this message was sent. Here our Lord Jesus styles himself the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.
(1.) The Amen, one that is steady and unchangeable in all his purposes and promises, which are all yea, and all amen.
(2.) The faithful and true witness, whose testimony of God to men ought to be received and fully believed, and whose testimony of men to God will be fully believed and regarded, and will be a swift but true witness against all indifferent lukewarm professors.
(3.) The beginning of the creation of God, either of the first creation, and so he is the beginning, that is, the first cause, the Creator, and the Governor of it; or of the second creation, the church; and so he is the head of that body, the first-born from the dead, as it is in ch. 1:5, whence these titles are taken. Christ, having raised up himself by his own divine power, as the head of a new world, raises up dead souls to be a living temple and church to himself.”
the Seed from which grows the plant
the Acorn from which sprouts an oak tree
an egg from which grows a chick, a duck, a bird
an egg from which come one or more of the mammal species
an egg fertilized becomes a human baby…a mammal species
Beginnings
Growth
Development
Changes
Beauty
Love
Joy
Peace
Compassion
…and so much more…all that is Jesus.
Jesus is the first, the beginning of all that was, and is, and is to come.
What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life—and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us—what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete. 1 John 1:1-4
Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church: Who is the beginning, the Firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence. Colossians 1:15-18
First…He always was. Oh, how fine to know that He is and was, and will always be. We can trust that He will be with us and for us…for always.
Our Father, You created me. Through Your Son, I am adopted into Your Family. I am Your daughter. Thank You, thank You. As Christmas nears, I bow. Your Son is the greatest Gift I could have ever received in my whole life. My parents were generous and loved Christmas. They had fun giving to their children. You are my Father and loved giving Jesus to me. How blessed I am. Nothing can top Jesus as a Gift. Nothing. You also gifted me (and so many others) with Your Holy Spirit to teach me, pray for me when I know not what to say, to guide me in Your ways, and so much more. I feel so blessed this day and know that I never need another gift. I have the All of all. I lift up those who do not know You as Lord and Savior. I pray for their souls, Father. Thank You for loving us right to Your heart. You want us to come to You. I pray that many others will receive the precious gift of salvation in these coming weeks. Praising You, Father, for Jesus, the Beginning of creation. In HIs Name, I do pray. Amen.
