An Infusion of Power for 2010

"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." - Isaiah 40:31

I am having a difficult time expressing just how expectant I am for God to do an incredible work here at theTURN in 2010 - there is such a deep seated expectation in my heart, and I feel that January's fast will set the course for all that God is going to do this year! To prepare ourselves for His work, we desperately need an infusion of His strength and wisdom as we begin this new decade.

I am convinced that one reason the devil has access to people's emotions is that they keep flying through life without taking time to get renewed in the Presence of the Lord. They ignore their need to sit, to rest, and to wait upon the Lord. As a result, their perception of things around them gets blurred. Doing too much at a fast pace has worn them down, causing them to lose their focus and affecting their ability to see things the way they really are.

The only way we can remain continually effective is by making sure we spend time with the Lord. It is so simple, yet so difficult sometimes. Is His Presence all you desire in 2010? In order to truly enter His Presence so we can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, we must first quiet ourselves by getting away from the commotion of life and finding a quiet place to worship, pray, and read the Word. That's the only way we can quiet our soul enough to be able to hear God's voice speaking to our inner man. To think that we are going to run into the Lord's Presence and get everything we need in the space of five minutes just isn't realistic. We must schedule time to be alone with God.

Don't just run in and run out of the Lord's Presence. Plan to settle down and stay there long enough to get everything you need to carry on! Once you've stopped long enough to really rest in His Presence, you're finally in a position where you can start receiving from Him. Don't move too fast. Don't leave until you receive the refreshing you need. Allow the Holy Spirit to give you peace, joy, strength, and direction.

I am praying that in 2010 as you obey the Word of God and listen to the Holy Spirit's leading, you will have the wisdom to know every step you need to take in the days ahead. All you have to do is obey God's instructions, and He guarantees you blessing and provision even in difficult times. But if you try to take another approach, there is no guarantee for you to claim. This next year, we, at theTURN, must do what God says if we want to be assured of His divine blessing and protection!

Spending time with the Lord is not an option in 2010 - it is the answer! So start this new year off right by coming into the Presence of God and allow Him to refresh you. As you do, the Holy Spirit will release His resurrection power and you will be quickened in your physical body. You will be strengthened, refreshed, recharged, and supernaturally empowered by God so you can get back out there with a fresh perspeective and new energy to finish what you have started!

Would you spend time with Him today on this last day of 2009?

pcraig

Some Wisdom...

So one of the greatest, Chuck Swindoll, came to Catalyst this past fall, and I had the opportunity to hear him share. It was impactful as imagined; and probably one of the things I enjoyed the most was what he shared at the end of his message. He gave 5 statements of incredible wisdom that he deemed most important for upcoming ministries and ministers. Below are some of the recaps.

Five Statements for the next 50 years of ministry:

1. Whatever you do, do it more with others and less alone – you always need more accountability.

• I thought this was great - he said he wished he would have done more in ministry with others beside him - wanted to raise up more leaders.

2. Whenever you do it (whatever ministry), emphasize quality and not quantity.

• How good is this for our current day and age? Raising true devoted followers of Christ - no longer creating a culture of Christianity that is a mile wide and an inch deep. May we be this kind of ministry at theTURN!

3. Wherever you go, do it the same as if you were among those who you know best – in other words, do not exaggerate stories and testimonies for the sake of appeal.

• It is often tempting to act differently around people who do not know you best - live a life of integrity in whatever sphere of life.

4. Whoever may respond, always keep a level head.

• He said that it makes his children so sick to hear people put him on such a pedestal. To him, he will always just be dad. I love this thought he shared about humility.

5. However long you lead, always keep on dripping with gratitude and grace.

• Lord help this be said about us all at the end of this life. theTURN will be a place that we strive to always drip gratitude and grace - that is the heart and character of our Savior.

So proud of theTURN,

pcraig

Merry Christmas TURN!

Merry Christmas from the Dancing Santa!

Have an awesome day - love you all so much and can't wait for 2010!

pcraig

Covet, Catch, and Conceal

To go along with yesterday's post, I think the story of Achan teaches us a valuable lesson about the secret sin in our lives.

"19 Then Joshua said to Achan, "My son, give glory to the LORD, the God of Israel, and give him the praise. Tell me what you have done; do not hide it from me."

20 Achan replied, "It is true! I have sinned against the LORD, the God of Israel. This is what I have done: 21 When I saw in the plunder a beautiful robe from Babylonia, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath."

22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent, and there it was, hidden in his tent, with the silver underneath. 23 They took the things from the tent, brought them to Joshua and all the Israelites and spread them out before the LORD. " - Joshua 7:19-23

Achan stole that which was sacred, or devoted, to the Lord. He coveted, stole, and then hid it. That is the pattern in our lives too often. What could have Achan done?

The answer was to uncover what was so secret in his life. Bring it out of hiding, come clean. Humble voluntary repentance would have been the high road for Achan to take. But he was forced to confession by Joshua's revelation from God.

What is the principle? When a transgressor owns the sin, the sin won't own the sinner.

"I acknowledged my sin to you, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,' and you forgave the iniquity of my sin." - Psalm 32:5

We tend to covet, catch, and conceal. I can't help to think that even though Achan slept near his treasures and ate with them under his feet, he would have traded them for peace of mind. Yet he kept them even though they were worthless buried. For Achan, the item that once had so great a value was reducing to nothing but heavy burdens. Driven by the need to cover his transgressions, he buried his treasures under the dirt.

"He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy." - Proverbs 28:13

It's time to come clean this Christmas...Jesus paid the price.

Much love,

pcraig

Who's Watching?

The thought hit me yesterday evening: it is amazing how differently people behave when they realize the eyes of authority are watching. Even if a cop is driving behind you down the highway - you make a quick and nervous assessment of how you are driving....look at the speedometer, grip the wheel tighter, carefully avoid any side to side movements, wonder if date on license plate is correct, pray that brake lights and signals work correctly.

How much more should care be given to our actions if we believe that the eyes of God are observing our every move? He is ALWAYS right behind us in the highway of life....

"You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your countenance." - Psalm 90:8

"For my eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from my face, nor is their iniquity hidden from my eyes." - Jeremiah 16:17

"For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and He ponders all his paths." - Proverbs 5:21

I think it might be wise that each of us post these Scriptures on our refrigerators, dashes of our vehicles, everywhere - this sobering knowledge that God sees us clearly and at all times can stir us to righteous decisions.

Who is watching this Christmas season? Better yet - this New Year's Eve. Wait - all of 2010.

pcraig

January 21 Day Fast

The 21 Day January Fast is almost upon us! I can't wait to hear the testimonies of what God does in the lives of those who fast with us in January! Begin to pray and ask the Lord what He would have you fast this next year as we seek Him with the firstfruits of our year. Fasting is the denial of the needs of the flesh in order to sensitize and renew our spirits. We are going to couple fasting with prayer and watch God do all that He wants to do in our ministry and lives!

Eat as much as you can over the next week!

"And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh: your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men shall see visions." - Joel 2:28

The key word is "afterward." After what? God will do all of this after what? We must go back to verse 15.

"Blow the trumpet in Zion, consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly; gather the people, sanctify the congregation." - Joel 2:15

Fasting will prepare us for the new anointing God will release in our lives in 2010!

Get on board!

pcraig

A Constant Seeking

So 2010 is almost upon us....and a new year brings new opportunities for theTURN. For this, I am so grateful, but I am very uneasy as well.

As I have said before there are no perfect churches. But when I think of what God could do for all the needs of this city among college and 20-somethings and how little we are actually accomplishing, it makes me as your leader very passionate to seek God's intervention in even more powerful ways.

I think we, as North American Christians, must no longer accept the status quo. In 2010, no more neat little meetings, even with the benefit of 100% correct doctrine. Are we hiding behind the doctrine of God's omnipresence, that he is everywhere around the globe, especially "where two or three are gathered together".....to the point that we do not seriously ask and expect to see Him work with power in our lives HERE and NOW? Shouldn't we expect to see Him in action once in a while? Shouldn't we implore Him to manifest Himself? Moses did. Joshua did. Elijah did. Peter did. Philip did. Paul did? Shouldn't we?

I believe that in this next year God will manifest Himself in direct proportion to our passion for Him. The principle He laid down long ago is still true today: "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart" (Jer. 29:13).

TURN: can we make it a point right now that 2010 will be a year where we seek Him with more passion than we ever have before? Can January be a month where we implore Him to move on our behalf through such fervent prayer and fasting?

I think so.

In fact, we have a brand new opportunity that will blow the top off this ministry coming up on Friday, January 29. Details coming soon.....

pcraig

The Virgin Birth

“’And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kinddom will never end.’ ‘ How will this be?’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’ The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.’ “ – Luke 1:33-35

“Virgin birth” is a misleading expression, suggesting that there was something unusual about Jesus’s birth, whereas his birth was entirely normal and natural. It was his conception that was abnormal, indeed supernatural, for he was conceived by the operation of the Holy Spirit, without the cooperation of a human father.

Matthew and Luke make an ambiguous affirmation that Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary. It is evident, moreover, that they were writing prose, not poetry, history, not myth. Why, then, did Mark and John not do the same thing? Answer: because they both chose to begin their narrative with John the Baptist. Their silence about the virgin birth no more means that they did not believe in it than their silence about his childhood means that they thought that he had none. The important point is that the only two evangelists who recorded his birth both declare that he was born of a virgin.

We move on now from the historicity of the virgin birth to its significance. Does it matter? It does. The angel’s annunciation was in two stages.

The first (vv. 31-33) stressed the continuity that Mary’s child would enjoy wth the past, because she would bear him, and he would occupy the throne of his father David. That is, he would inherit from his mother both his humanity and his title to the messianic kingdom. The second section (v. 35) stressed the discontinuity between the child and the past, because the Holy Spirit would come upon Mary, and the creative power of God would overshadow her, so that her child would be unique, sinless (“the holy one”), and the Son of God.

In this way what was announced to the Virgin Mary was her son’s humanity and messiahship, derived from her, while his sinlessness and deity would be derived from the Holy Spirit. As a result of the virgin birth, Jesus Christ was simultaneously Mary’s son and God’s son, human and divine.

Some questions you might get at this time of the year:

1. But is belief in the Virgin Birth fundamental to Christian doctrine?

Certainly, the belief that Jesus is both God and man is vital to the doctrine of the atonement. God could not offer up an innocent man as a sacrifice for the sins of others, He could only take that upon himself. But only a human could bear the punishment for human sin. No animal sacrifice would have sufficed for such a great sin. So Jesus had to be both man and God. The Virgin Birth produces a human child who has God as a literal father, Joseph as an adoptive father, and Mary as a real mother. The child is "born of a woman" in the normal way, and is entirely human. But also, in a mysterious sense divine. One could argue forever as to whether God could have achieved this some other way, but this is the way the Bible suggests God did achieve it.

2. Is this not a hard thing to believe? People often argue about the virgin birth, whether or not it really happened in this way. Review my following thoughts about the virgin birth and see what you think.

Rumors of Jesus’ possible illegitimate birth were being spread during his public ministry in an attempt to discredit him. For example, when he declared that certain unbelieving Jews had not Abraham but the devil as their father, they retorted, “We are not illegitimate children,” which sounds like an innuendo that he was (john 8:41). These rumors persisted long after his death. In the Jewish Talmud they became explicit. How on earth could these hints and slanders have arisen unless it was known that Mary was already pregnant when Joseph married her? Distasteful as this gossip is, it is supporting evidence of the virgin birth in my opinion.

3. How can you magnify the Lord during this holiday season? In what ways can you give back to the God who gave us so much in the birth of His Son Jesus Christ?

pcraig

The Nativity

So I was thinking more about this Nativity scene that you and I see at this time of year, and I wanted to share some thoughts with you.

We come now to the Christmas season, namely to the birth of Jesus the Messiah, especially as the story is told by Matthew and Luke. A supernatural person enters the world in a supernatural way. The Incarnation comes about by the virgin birth. We will look at several points that surround the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

The Annunciation

“God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth…to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph.” – Luke 1:26-27

After some four hundred years of silent waiting, suddenly God broke the silence, though not through a prophet but through an angel. The message that Gabriel brought to Nazareth all but overwhelmed Mary – partly because she was to become a mother although she was still unmarried and a virgin, and partly because of the superlative threefold descriptions she was given of her son to be born.

Firstly, he was to be named Jesus, indicating that he would be given a saving mission.

Secondly, he would be great, for he would be given a further and more elaborate name, the Son of the Most High. Mary would not have understood this as meaning what we mean when we call Jesus the Son of God but rather that he would be the Messiah, since Son of God was an acknowledged messianic title (see Psalm 2:7-8).

Thirdly, he would reign over Israel forever. Indeed, his kingdom would never end.

Savior, Son, and King were the three titles that the angel told Mary to give him.

No wonder Mary was “greatly troubled” (v. 29), even completely mystified by the angel’s message, and asked him what it meant. Here is Gabriel’s majestic reply: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God…For nothing is impossible with God” (v. 35-37). We will reflect on the fact and meaning of the virgin birth tomorrow, but meanwhile, we must now listen to Mary’s Song.

Just some questions to think about:

a. What do these three names mean to you? Savior, Son, and King?

b. Can you imagine the power of this moment for Mary? How would you respond at your age? Most believe Mary was about 14 years old when she gave birth to Jesus.

c. What made her different from every other young Hebrew girl? Why could she be trusted with so much?

Mary’s Song

“And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me— holy is his name. His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers.’” – Luke 1:46-55

Ever since at least the sixth century the church has cherished Mary’s Song and has included it as the Magnificat in its liturgies. But this raises an important question. How can we sing her song? A Hebrew virgin chosen by God to give birth to the Messiah, the Son of God, gives inspired expression to her wonderment that she should have been thus honored. How can we take her words on our lips? Is it not entirely inappropriate for us to do so?

But no. it has been recognized down the ages that Mary’s experience, which in one way was absolutely unique, in another is typical of the experience of every Christian believer. The God who had done great things for her has also lavished his grace on us. Mary seems herself to have been aware of this, for her “me” and “my” of the beginning of her song moved later into the third person: “His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation” (v. 50). As in the song of Hannah after the birth of Samuel, so in Mary’s Song, God turns human values upside down. There are two main examples.

Firstly, God dethrones the mighty and exalts the humble. He did it with Pharaoh and with Nebuchadnezzar, in both cases rescuing Israel from their exile. He still does it today in our experience of salvation. Only if we get on our knees beside the penitent publican will God exalt us with his accepting forgiveness.

Secondly, God dismisses the rich and feeds the hungry. Mary was hungry. She knew from the Old Testament that one day God’s kingdom would come, and she was longing for that day to come. Hunger is still an indispensible condition of spiritual blessing, while complacent self-satisfaction is its greatest enemy.

If we want to inherit Mary’s blessings, we must diplay Mary’s qualities, especially humility and hunger.

Some more questions to think about:

1. What does this story teach you about worship? Where does true worship originate? How does this story transform your thinking about magnification and worship of God with singing?
2. Are you hungry for God’s presence in your life? Are you truly desperate for his touch on your life? Mary was expectant, and therefore had a heart prepared to worship the Lord. Do you come in each Thursday night with a thankful heart because of His grace shown in your life?

January Series - "18 Inches"

January at theTURN is going to be the greatest kick-off to the best year theTURN has seen!

“18 Inches” – college and 20-somethings
This is the longest distance known to man. If you didn't know, that's the distance between your Head and your Heart! For so many people, religion can be a sterile, lifeless, academic exercise. Faith is a code of ethics, morals, and rules to live by-- but nothing personal. Thank God, Jesus invites us into a personal, sometimes messy, relationship where we can "let our hair down" before God & give Him access to every inch of us. It is time to move from head knowledge to heart power.

Can't wait to get back in the saddle!

pcraig

THE WORD

Last night, I concluded my message with sharing about how Jesus is the Father's last word to this world.

"In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." - Hebrews 1:1-3

When you read the Bible, you can see all of Scripture points to Jesus. All of the Bible is about the person and work of Jesus the Messiah. Let me simplify the Bible for you.

Who is the "Christ of Christmas?" He is:

In Genesis, He is the Seed of Woman.

In Exodus, He is the Passover Lamb.

In Leviticus, He is the High Priest.

Numbers, the Smitten Rock.

Deuteronomy, the Prophet.

Joshua, the Captain of the Lord's Army.

Judges, the Great Judge.

Ruth, the Heavenly Kinsman.

Samuel, the Anointed One.

Kings, the King of Kings.

Chronicles, the Temple and Glory of God.

Esther, the Protector of His People.

Job, the Creator.

Psalms, the Good Shepherd.

Proverbs, the Wisdom and Pattern of Life.

Ecclesiastes, the Preacher who unravels the Mysteries of Life.

Song of Solomon, the Bridegroom Coming for His Bride.

Isaiah, He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquites, and the chastisement that brought us peace was upon Him.

Jeremiah, He is the Potter who Shapes the Broken Clay.

In Lamentations, He is the Weeping Prophet.

In Ezekiel, He is in the Middle of the Wheel (holds the universe together).

In Daniel, He is the Son of Man Coming in the Last Days with Power and Glory.

In Hosea, He is the Love of God for the Backslider.

In Joel, He is the Spirit Baptizer.

In Amos, He is Altar of Judgment and Mercy.

In Obadiah, He is the God of Retribution.

In Jonah, He is God of Salvation.

In Micah, He is Great Intercessor.

In Nahum, He is the Stronghold in the Day of Trouble.

In Habakkuk, He is the God of Mercy.

In Zephaniah, He is the Restorer of all Things.

In Haggai, He is the Desire of All Nations.

In Zechariah, He is the Branch of Jehovah.

In Malachi, He is Son of Righteousness rising with healing in His wings.

In Matthew, He is the Kingly Messiah.

In Mark, He is the Miracle Worker.

In Luke, He is the Great Physician.

In John, He is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.

In Acts, He is the Risen Lord.

In Romans, He is our Justification.

In Corinthians, He is our Sanctification.

In Galatians, He is our Liberation.

In Ephesians, He is our Peace.

In Philippians, He is our Joy.

In Colossians, He is our Perfection.

In Thessalonians, He is our Coming Lord.

In Timothy, He is the Judge of all Men.

In Titus, He is our Redeemer.

In Philemon, He is a Friend that sticks closer than a brother.

In Hebrews, He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith.

In James, He is the Healer of all Nations.

In the Letters of Peter, He is the Chief Shepherd and the Bishop of our Souls.

In the Letters of John, He is the Word of Life.

In Jude, He is coming with 10,000 saints to execute righteousness.

And in Revelation, He is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the root of Jesse, the offspring of David, the Alpha and Omega, Beginning and the End, the First and the Last, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world who is coming back and written upon His vesture and upon His thigh is King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

That, my friends, is the Christ of Christmas! He is not in a manger anymore! Hallelujah!

He is the Last Word - there is no other message coming. He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life!

Let's celebrate Him not just this season, but during all seasons!

Looking forward to 2010!

pcraig

"Is Christ the Reason for the Season?"

Message slides from last night:

theTURN Pre-Roll....

SANTA PARTY TOM NIGHT!

Be sure to join us tomorrow night - yes Tuesday night not Thursday night - for a Christmas party like no other! One catch: we are asking everyone to come dressed up as Saint Nicholas! That's right - get your best Santa outfit, grab your friends, and join us for Part Three of "The Christ of Christmas!"

Free Chik-fil-a sandwiches tomorrow night as well - going to be a December to remember!

See you soon!

pc

"Christ, Ruin My Christmas"

So below are the message slides from tonight's message "Christ, Ruin My Christmas" part two of our December series "The Christ of Christmas."

Another Look at Jesus

1. Jesus the Divine Son

“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by His Son.” – Hebrews 1:1-2

The first two chapters of Hebrews beautifully balance each other in that chapter one gives us a portrait of Jesus Christ the divine Son, while chapter two adds a portrait of him as the human being. Hebrews one speaks of his uniqueness. It tells us five major truths about Christ. First, Jesus Christ is the climax of God’s revelation. Of course, God has been revealing himself throughout history through prophets, but it was in a way that was partial and progressive, whereas his self-revelation in Christ was final and complete. So Jesus Christ is God’s last word to the world. It is inconceeivable that there could be a higher or fuller revelation than he has given us in his Incarnate Son. No, Jesus Christ is the climax of his revelation.

Second, Jesus Christ is the Lord of Creation. God has appointed him “heir of all things” (v.2), since through him he had made the universe. So he is its beginning and its end, its source and its heir, and in between he is “sustaining all things by his powerful word” (v.3).

Third, Jesus Christ is the Son of the Father. He is both “the radiance of God’s glory” (light from light, one in being with the Father) and “the exact representation of his being” (distinct from the Father as an impress is distinct from the seal) (v.3).

Fourth, Jesus Christ is the Savior of sinners. Having finished the work of purification for sins, he sat down at the Father’s right hand.

Fifth, Jesus Christ is the object of the angels’ worship. Indeed, he has become “as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs” (v.4). Angels are doubtless great and glorious beings, but they do not compare with Jesus Christ. The author now collects and quotes a chain of OT texts that speak in different ways of his supremacy. For example, “Let all God’s angels worship him” (v.6). The author concludes this section with a solemn warning that we must pay careful attention to the message of the apostles, lest we drift away from it (2:1-4).

2. Jesus the Human Being

’Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity.” – Hebrews 2:14

Unique as Jesus Christ is in his divine glory, which we considered a moment ago, this is only half the story. If we were to stop there, we would be guilty of serious heresy, affirming his deity but denying or neglecting his humanity. Hebrews 1 emphasizes that Jesus Christ is on with the Father sharing his being); Hebrews 2 emphasizes that Jesus Christ became one with us (sharing our being). He who is in every way superior to the angels became for a while inferior to them. Indeed, there is a fundamental appropriateness in the Son of God becoming human: “In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God…..should make the author (pioneer) of their salvation perfect” (v.10). Four main truths are spelled out.

First, he entered into our humanity. He took our “flesh and blood” to himself (v.14). He experienced the frailty and vulnerability of a human being. For he had a real humanbody (eating, drinking, and getting tired) and real human emotions (joy and sorrow, compassion, anger).

Second, he entered into our temptations. “He himself suffered when he was tempted” (v.18). Indeed, he was “tempted in every way, just as we are” (4:15). By his incarnation he laid aside his immunity to temptation and exposed himself to it. And his temptations were real, like ours, except that he never succumbed to them and so never sinned.

Third, he entered into our sufferings. God made the pioneer of our salvation “perfect through suffering” (2:10). Not that he was ever imperfect in the sense of being sinful, but that his identification with us in our humanity would have been incomplete if he had not suffered as we suffer.

Fourth, he entered in our death. “We see Jesus…..now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone” (v.9). It is not that he needed to die, for he had no sin of his own. But he bore our sins, and it was for our sins that he died. As a result of the incarnation, Jesus Christ can represent us to the Father and can sympathize with our weaknesses.

Some thoughts from Hebrews,

pcraig