Jesus Christ

Hope Eternal

Alvin Cheng D-Groups , ,

Billy Graham once said, “Perhaps the greatest psychological, spiritual, and medical need that all people have is the need for hope. And this hope is found in the person of Jesus Christ who died for our sins, rose from the grave and is alive now.”


Amy Carmichael was unfit to be a missionary. She suffered from neuralgia that caused much pain and eventually would render her bedridden. But undeterred, she pursued God until she ended up serving Him in India for 58 years. Her most notable work was the rescue of the Hindu temple prostitutes. These were young girls who were slaves in the Hindu temples, abused and exploited sexually. One day, one of them escaped and ran to the orphanage that Amy had started. This began a lifetime of work for Amy to rescue hundreds of these girls. Her work raised so much awareness to this horrendous practice that it was
eventually banned by the Indian government. Amy provided hope in Jesus Christ for these girls. Quite an opposite from the life of a temple prostitute.


In Luke 7:37-50, we find Jesus providing an eternal hope for a prostitute. A woman who was desperate for a change. One who did not see a way out for her life. Religiously, she was discarded due to her uncleanness. Socially, she was used, abused, and detested. She could not see a bright future for herself. There was no hope in her existence. But she heard of this Jesus. She found hope in this Jesus! Not just for this life, but she was given hope eternal when Jesus forgave her sins also!


Life throws us some curve balls. We may find ourselves in situations that we never expected. There are times in life where we see our hopes dashed, our dreams unrealized, and goals unreached. In desperation, we seek out anything and everything that can satisfy us. Some of these become even more detrimental to our cause. But Jesus provides us with hope eternal! His call is to leave this world behind and seek for the one beyond. This Jesus transcends time and space, life and death, man-made rules and tradition, as well as personal history. He blows past all of those to provide us the forgiveness of sins so that we may have an eternal, abundant life in Him!


As you are reading this, the prayer and plea is that you seek and find the hope in Jesus Christ for all your needs. He was the one who paid the price on the cross to make us righteous and thus pave the way for us to be with God again. Blessings

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Baptism: Water, Spirit, and Fire

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , , ,

Everything about John the Baptist is captivating! First, John was born in a most unusual and miraculous way, fulfilling prophecies dating back 700 and 430 years before his birth (see Is 40:1-5 and Mal 3:1; 4:5). Also, his times were filled with turmoil and tumult, led by volatile and villainous people hungering for political and religious power. Furthermore, his appearance was overtly prophetic. With long, matted hair and an unkept beard, he dressed in garments made of camel hair, and sustained himself on a diet consisting of locusts and honey. Even his message was different. It was singular, direct, and repetitive. According to the gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, it was simply, “Repent!” (Lk 3:3; Mk 1:4; Matt 3:2).

Which leads to the most captivating aspect of this larger-than-life biblical personality: his purpose. One of the most profound things about John’s ministry was that it pointed to something greater than himself and his ministry. He was the forerunner, whose role was to prepare the way for the arrival of royalty. This royal figure – the Christ or Messiah (Anointed One) – was of such significance that John was to level and straighten the paths for this King’s arrival. Through John’s ministry, “Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low” for the entrance of this singular King and His glorious kingdom (Lk 3:4-6).

In Luke 3:15-17, John the Baptist describes his ministry in the following fashion:

As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

It is clear that John utilized the practice of water baptism in preparation for Jesus’s ministry. Similarly, it is important to note that there is a difference between John’s ministry and Jesus’s ministry. This is evident in John’s deferential description, placing him at the feet of Jesus, not even worthy to untie his sandals. What incredible self-awareness, humility, and reverence of the Messiah from a man who Jesus says “among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist” (Matt 11:11). So, what is the difference between John’s baptism and Jesus’s baptism? What is the difference between the baptisms of water, Holy Spirit, and fire?

Not unlike water baptism today, John immersed those who came to him in the waters of the Jordan River as a symbol of their spiritual posture. To put it another way, John’s baptism was an external sign of a person’s internal repentance. It, therefore, was intertwined with his preparatory purpose: turning the hearts of people back to God for the arrival of the King. John heralded the message, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt 3:2). Put bluntly, John was shouting, “King Jesus and His kingdom are here! So, it’s time to get your heart and life turned around, because He is judge, jury, and executioner!” John expected Jesus to come with great might, power, and justice. He, like many, envisioned the Christ as a victorious military leader, who would separate the wheat from the chaff by crushing the Roman occupation and overthrowing religious corruption.

Yet the hearts of people did not change and eventually rejected the King. The kingdom did not come in the form of a military conquest and ritualistic cleansing as John and others expected (see Lk 7:18-23). Instead, the kingdom came in an unlikely way, with the King’s victory won by means of His sacrificial death, burial, and triumphant resurrection. However, even before these glorious events, Jesus had promised that He – God – would remain with us always by means of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Jn 14:25-29).

Unlike water baptism, the Spirit’s baptism isn’t simply a symbol of a spiritual reality, it is a spiritual reality! Salvation comes through giving up on your own goodness, works, knowledge, and wisdom and trusting in the finished, perfect work of Christ (Eph 2:8-9). All those who receive salvation or new life in Jesus are baptized into Christ by the Holy Spirit. As the Holy Spirit takes residence in us, He begins His transformational work. Like fire, He begins to melt our very core. Like a refiner, He heats us up until He is able to skim off our impurities. More and more, our life begins to mirror back Jesus’s reflection. And as the Holy Spirit continues to melt our hearts, skims away the dross, allows us to cool, and repeats the process, the more we begin to look like the Lord Jesus (Gal 5:22-25). The Holy Spirit enables us to do what we could never do on our own by convicting (Jn 16:8), regenerating (Jn 3:5-6), assuring (Rom 8:16), enlightening (Jn 16:13), transforming (2 Cor 3:18), bearing fruit (Gal 5:22-23), gifting (1 Cor 12:7), and empowering (Acts 1:8).

Galatians 5:22-25 (ESV) – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

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Trust God’s Promises

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , ,

Announcements can be good or bad, captivating or dull, expected or surprising, routine or life-changing. We are usually notified of news pertaining to local and world events in real time. The announcements contain information that is aimed at the general public. Sometimes, however, we are singular recipients of spectacular news that is obviously above what we deserve. We are shocked to be the first to know of a first kiss, an engagement, a pregnancy, a birth.

In the opening chapter of the Gospel of Luke, we find two grand announcements delivered by an angelic messenger (Lk 1:5-56). The angel Gabriel proclaims the soon-to-come births of two enigmatic characters the Old Testament has been promising for centuries. These two individuals have simply been referred to as the forerunner and the Messiah. And while the hope of their arrival has long been anticipated by God’s people, the recipients of its fulfillment – an old priest and a young girl – were anything but extraordinary. The old priest, Zechariah, and his wife Elizabeth, were barren and past child-bearing years, while the young girl, Mary, was “a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph” (Lk 1:27). They couldn’t have been more different. Zechariah was a respected, dutiful temple priest, while Mary was an obscure girl from a mocked town (Jn 1:46). Furthermore, in a twist of irony, the dedicated priest was struck dumb for his feeble faith, while the young girl received gracious praise for her submissive trust.

So, why would both Zechariah and Mary have been privileged to receive these glorious announcements? Why would these ordinary and obscure, accomplished and inexperienced, doubting and trusting, old man and young woman, be chosen by God to become parents of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ respectively? What qualifies them to be part of God’s plan? Nothing. You heard right. No-thing! God blessed Zechariah and Mary by His gracious love. He does the same for us.

God blesses and uses us according to His good purposes. We need not fear (Lk 1:13, 30), because the Lord is at our side. His promises are true and certain. Even when our life has been marked by disappointment and our faith is wavering, our prayers have been heard and recorded (Lk 1:13). Be encouraged! God’s grace has never been reserved for the unbreakable, the perfect, and the strong. It is precisely our frailty, finiteness, and weakness that require us to trust God and make us usable in His mighty hands. We must always remember, it is about God and not about us.

2 Corinthians 4:5–7 (ESV) – “For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.”

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The All-Powerful Valiant King

Matt Otto D-Groups , , , , ,

In days of yore kings and leaders were frequently given impressive names in connection to their character or accomplishments. For example, Richard I of England is commonly referred to as Richard “the Lionheart” because of his courage and cruelty. President Abraham Lincoln was sometimes called “The Ancient One” because of his sage wisdom. More recently, Margaret Thatcher, who served as Britain’s Prime Minister from 1979-1990, was known as the “Iron Lady” for her resolute politics and leadership style.

Similarly, in biblical times, ancient kings were described by names like those listed in Isaiah 9:6. The prophet wrote to warn Judah of God’s impending judgment as well as His promised salvation through an anointed king or messiah. Based on the descriptive terms listed in Isaiah 9:6, expectations looked forward to a king with extraordinary wisdom, great strength, and peaceful influence. This king would set all things straight upon his arrival, crushing enemies in the process. He would do this, because he would be chosen and empowered by God’s zeal (v. 7). So God’s people anticipated a king like Saul, imposing in stature, a king like David, mighty in battle, or a king like Solomon, amazingly wise. A political leader whose glory and might would eclipse even the most revered kings of Israel’s history. As one song writer put it, they thought he would “come with a crown of gold, a string of pearls, and a cashmere robe … [that he would] clinch an iron fist, and rain like fire on the politics.”[1] The title, Mighty God, only bolstered these expectations. The name brings to mind one deserving of great honor and fame as well as one exhibiting power in authority and leadership.

How unbelievable it must have been for the long-awaited king to be born in such a low estate. To think that the King who made all things, owns all things, sustains all things, and reflects the complete radiance of God’s glory (Heb 1:1-4), nevertheless took on the human journey as a vulnerable and dependent baby is astonishing (Isaiah 7:14)! Speaking of the incarnation of Jesus, Charles H. Spurgeon beautifully describes the union of the divine and the human, the extraordinary and the common:

They never cease to tell the astonishing story, and to tell it with increasing astonishment too, that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born of the Virgin Mary, and became a man.

Is He not rightly called Wonderful?

Infinite, and an infant. Eternal, and yet born of a woman. Almighty, and yet hanging on a woman’s breast. Supporting a universe, and yet needing to be carried in a mother’s arms. King of angels, and yet the reputed son of Joseph. Heir of all things, and yet the carpenter’s despised son.

Jesus is the Mighty God described in Isaiah 9:6. He is the Son of God and the Son of Man, fully divine and fully human. He is the Hero who was sent “to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Isa 61:1-3). As God and man, King Jesus has the authority and capacity to reclaim sinners and pardon the condemned. Through His sinless life, sacrificial death, and bodily resurrection He satisfied the just demands of the Father, paid the debt that we owed and took the penalty we deserved (Col 2:13-15). He wins! Satan, sin, and death no longer have claim on those whose king is Jesus. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Matthew 1:21-23 (ESV) – “‘[Mary] will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us).”

[1] “Baby Son” by John Mark McMillan, 2018

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Our Blessed Hope

Matt Otto D-Groups , ,

The wonderful pastor and commentator Warren Wiersbe wrote, “God’s people don’t live on expectations; they live on promises. Faith and hope are nourished by the promises of God given in the Scriptures” (The Bible Exposition Commentary, Isaiah-Malachi). The reason Wiersbe’s statement is so important to our Christian thinking and living is that our expectations, when unchecked by Scripture, will be directed by our wants, our feelings, our circumstances, and so on. They fall significantly short of God’s purposes for His people. In contrast, God’s promises are entirely aligned to His unchanging character, perfect wisdom, and benevolent actions. They are unequivocally certain and will, without exception, be fulfilled for God’s glory and our good.

Warren Wiersbe’s assertion alludes to Ephesians 2:8-9, as Paul writes, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Our faith and hope rests entirely on what God has done, what He is doing (Phil 2:13), and what He will do (Rom 5:2; 1 Jn 3:1-3).

As Zechariah’s prophecy draws to a close, its emphasis converges on the Branch the long anticipated Messiah – who is the royal priest and the culmination of all of God’s promises. Through Zechariah, God encourages His people, Israel, that His promises are as certain as if they had already taken place. The phrase “thus says the Lord” appears ten times in chapter 8 alone to assure Israel of the surety of His faithful plan. He promises that Jerusalem will be rebuilt (vv. 1-6), that He will regather His people (v. 7), restore His relationship with Israel (v. 8), refresh the land of Israel (vv. 9-13), renew the covenant standards (vv. 14-19), and redeem the Gentiles (vv. 20-23). Every single divine promise is certain, because it is fulfilled by God Himself, Jesus Christ. He is the epicenter of God’s doings. He has appeared once to bring salvation and will appear again to bring about our glorification and redemption of all creation. He embodies “our blessed hope” – the longing for His appearing which will, simultaneously, accomplish all that God has promised. What a glorious thought!

It is easy to forget that God has promised to be in the midst of His people (Haggai 2:4-5). Our wants, feelings, and circumstances can obscure our vision and cloud our joy. So, when your expectations don’t align with God’s promises, trust His promises. You might be surprised how “living in the future tense” will cause you to view your circumstances, your responsibilities, and your relationships with a vastly different perspective and attitude.

Titus 2:11-14 (NIV) – “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”

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But who do you say that I am?

Alvin Cheng D-Groups , , ,

In Mark 8:29, Jesus asked His disciples this exact question; “But who do you say that I am?” Peter very quickly and correctly answered, “You are the Christ!”

This week, we find that Zechariah, in chapters three and four, previews this Messiah who is both a priest and a king. While Joshua and Zerubbabel have particular roles; priest and king respectively, neither of them can fulfill both at the same time. This is only found in Jesus.

Hebrews 1:3-4 provides us with a most excellent picture of how Jesus fulfills both of these at once; “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to the angels as the name He has inherited is more excellent than theirs.” 

The encouragement from the sermon this week is that we have a priest-king who can sympathize with our sufferings as human beings but yet is so powerful that He reigns over this world. So, we can come to His throne with even the most minute of human requests while knowing that He is supremely able to take care of it in His will because of His grace.

The challenge this week is to answer the same question that Jesus posed to his disciples; who do you say that I am? If our confession is that He is THE Christ, our priest-king as outlined in Hebrews, then we can have confidence that we have already been given His righteousness and thus also submit to His Sovereignty. Will we do both?

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