Dear Family,
Today is Monday, April 6, 2026. Today is Day 2 of Week 1 in our Count to Pentecost.
As we begin another year of Counting to Pentecost, these daily write-ups will focus on the life of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We will not necessarily follow a chronological order.
It is clear in scripture that Jesus was a Jew and so were most of His early followers. Even though Jesus had a short ministry and a short human life of about 33 years, His life as a Human Being is a central issue in the work God did by Him and through Him.
The Bible gives two lines of genealogy for Jesus. One line was a legal line through Joseph, the husband of Mary, that the Jewish populace would have thought of as Jesus’ father (Luke 3). Yet, Jesus’ bloodline goes through Mary’s genealogy that is recorded in the book of Matthew. Correct Jewish genealogy was very important to the Jews. And, it was very unusual for genealogies to be counted through the mother; however, the virgin birth (Isaiah 7:13) was extremely unusual. Clearly, the Bible shows Jesus was a Human Jew.
As we begin this focus on Jesus as we Count to Pentecost, what is most important to always remember is that Jesus was truly a flesh and blood and bone Human Being. And, His Father was Almighty God. Both of those truths are foundational and vital to our salvation. Those truths set the stage for all of the work Jesus accomplished for our salvation. He finished the work God had sent Him to do as a Human Being through the power of God’s Holy Spirit.
John 3:34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.
As a Jew, Jesus knew the Jewish traditions and legal requirements very well. He was very aware that no Jewish tradition and no animal sacrifice would suffice and fit God’s requirement. Jesus never broke God’s law and became the Perfect Sacrifice God’s righteous judgment required as the penalty for sin. And, only as a Human Being, living the Perfect and righteous life, could this penalty be paid.
While Jesus walked as a human, He participated in certain activities that many Jews of His day observed. And yet, He observed all of God’s commandments, making a clear distinction between Jewish tradition and God’s law. His teachings and His approach to Jewish tradition brought Him into open conflict with the religious leaders of His day. The leaders saw Him as something of a rebel Rabbi; and, at His trial, the Jews accused Him of rebellion against Caesar. Jesus was put to death by the hands of the Romans, but the Jewish religious hierarchy and the Jewish populace they worked up against Jesus, were largely responsible of His crucifixion.
One of most the astounding truths about Jesus was that He knew He became Human to die for mankind. His death was not a surprise. Jesus proved Himself to be the willing Sacrifice as He submitted to God’s will.
Hebrews 10:4-7 (4) For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. (5) Wherefore when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared Me: (6) In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. (7) Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of Me,) to do Thy will, O God.
Ben Faulkner, Pastor
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