Christmas Season and Deeper Thoughts about Jesus, Part Two

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Pastor Brad Abley: Biblical Educator

Pastor’s Corner - Jesus of Nazareth Part 2

• Gregory of Nazianzen (321-390) an Early Church Father, was Archbishop of Constantinople, known as the “Trinitarian Theologian” and along with Basil the Great and Gregory of Nyysa was one of the three Cappadocian Fathers (prominent theologians of that time who lived in what is now modern-day Turkey and who were highly influential in articulating sound theology in the Early Church of the fourth century).

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Gregory of Nazianzen wrote the following of Jesus:

“He hungered, but He fed thousands; He was wearied, but He is the Rest of them that are weary; He was heavy with sleep, but He walked lightly over the sea; He prays, but He hears prayer.

“He weeps, but He causes tears to cease.  He asks where Lazarus was laid, for He was Man; but He raises Lazarus, for He was God.  He is sold and very cheap, for it is only 30 pieces of silver; but, He redeems the world.

“As a sheep He is led to the slaughter, but He is the Shepherd of Israel, and now of the whole world also.  As a Lamb He is silent, yet He is the Word [of God].  He is wounded, but He heals every disease.

• “He dies, but He gives life…”

The quiet miracle of Christmas – the incarnation of God the Son – is that unlike any religion now or in history, God Himself enters into our world, becomes like us and offers us His solution to our greatest problem – our alienation to Him.

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That solution is reconciliation to Himself through the life, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus, God the Son.

And once we’re reconciled to Him and daily learn to walk closely with Him, we can then truly live in reconciliation with others.  And it is then – and only then – that we become type of people we were created for (Phil. 2:1-11).”

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