Jesus Christ was born as fulfilment of prophecy. The theologians of the day were in possession of the Scriptures that predicted the coming of the Messiah and were eagerly waiting for Him to step on the scene.
The nation had been crying for liberation from the clutches of Roman rule and God sent them the King of the Jews.
The sitting king, Herod, sought to kill the Saviour and Deliverer. The religious establishment sought to downplay Jesus advocating for a “better” fulfilment of prophecy. Matthew 2:3 puts it thus:
“When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.”
The devil joined the fray seeking to discredit Jesus by tempting Him to prove that He was who He was. However, the wise men acknowledged and visited the child to worship Him and offer gifts.
The shepherds were quick to visit and pay homage and the host of heaven glorified God in Luke 2:13-14:
“And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.” The stage for Kingdom controversy was thus set.
From the religious and cultural, represented by the Sanhedrin, to the political fronts, represented by Herod, Jesus was not accepted.
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To make matters worse, Jesus slaps the church of the day in the face and says:
“Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time but I say unto you,” but declaring Matthew 5:17:
“Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”
Irked by this, they demand a sign in Matthew 16:1:
“The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.” By this time Jesus is running a ministry that is characterised by the demonstration of the power of God.
Dead people are rising to life, the lame are walking, lepers are being healed, blind recovering sight and the deaf and dumb being made well.
He also ran a compassionate ministry and the hungry were fed. On the contrary the religious guys have nothing to show for their ministry. Dear reader, this is the reality between religion and Christianity.
From His birth throughout His ministry Jesus was rejected to the point that they crucified Him. Christianity is not for the faint-hearted or those of nervous disposition.
We are not ashamed of the Gospel and we do not apologise for who Jesus is. Jesus warns in Matthew 10:25-26: “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord.
If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?
Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known.”
The Sanhedrin commanded the apostles not to use the name of Jesus but the apostles refused to budge, Acts 5:28-28, “saying:
“Did not we straitly command you that ye should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this man’s blood upon us. Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, ‘We ought to obey God rather than men’.”
Everyone out there wants God to do something for them, but at times when God manifests and because of His grandiose nature, people begin to doubt.
Barring false doctrines, people want to hear from God and when prophets speak, they are called all sorts of names.
We all want the sick to be healed and when they rise up from wheelchairs, we say it is the work of the devil. We would rather believe that Satan can heal than believing God can heal us.
What manner of theology is this? We pray and fast for God to show Himself strongly and when God raises men and women to use, we turn away because we only want God to use us and no one else.
God is not a respecter of persons and can just use anyone and even anything. He can turn stones into people to worship Him.
We preach that in the last days God shall do great works and when they appear, we question Him. We hold on to John 14:12:
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall ye do also; and greater works than these shall ye do; because I go unto my Father.”
Let us not kill that which we seek to bear. Let us not deny that which we have asked for and are hoping for. We are our own enemies if we deny what we carry in our Bibles. If you do not want it yourself, do not deny it for others.
