2 – Behold The Best News Ever – Give Jesus More Than A Glance !

TO BEHOLD IS MORE THAN A GLANCE.  IT IS A GAZE.

WE BECOME WHAT WE BEHOLD.

BEHOLD! GOD’S GIFT TO US…THE BEST NEWS EVER:

1. BEHOLD! WE ARE NO ACCIDENT, FOR GOD CREATED US IN HIS IMAGE.

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” Psalm 53:1a (NIV)

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. ² Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. ³ They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. ⁴ Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. Psalm 19:1-4 (NIV)

When I behold Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place— ⁴ what is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You care for him? Psalm 8:3-4 (BSB)

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” ²⁷ So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. ²⁸ God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Genesis 1:26-28a (NIV)

NOTE:  Being In God’s Image Carries MEANING & PURPOSE.

2. BEHOLD! GOD CAME HERE AS A HUMAN TO REVEAL HIMSELF TO US.

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”). Matthew 1:22-23 (NIV)

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹ And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. ¹⁰ And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. ¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.  Luke 2:8-11 (ESV)

NOTE:  Jesus Is Revealed To Us As SAVIOUR, LORD, & KING.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ² He was in the beginning with God; ³ all things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made. ⁴ In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ¹⁴ And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father. John 1:1-5, 14 (RSV)

3. BEHOLD! GOD THE FATHER OFFERS HIS SON TO DIE IN OUR PLACE.

AT HIS BIRTH: And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is opposed ³⁵ (and a sword will pierce through your own soul also), so that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” Luke 2:34-35 (ESV)

“And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” Luke 2:12 (ESV)

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Matthew 2:11 (NIV)

AT HIS BAPTISM: The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:29 (NKJV)

AT HIS TRIAL: Pilate summoned the chief priests and the rulers and the people, ¹⁴ and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one who incites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Him before you, I have found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make against Him. ¹⁵ No, nor has Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him. ¹⁶ Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.” ²¹ but they kept on calling out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!” Luke 23:13-16, 21 (NASB1995)

IN HIS DEATH: But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 (NIV)

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” ³³ He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. John 12:32-33 (NIV)

4. BEHOLD! JESUS BEAT DEATH & GAVE US HOPE BEYOND THE GRAVE.

AFTER HIS RESURRECTION: And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. ¹⁸ And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. ¹⁹ Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:17-20 (NASB)

For forty days after his death he appeared to them many times in ways that proved beyond doubt that he was alive. They saw him, and he talked with them about the Kingdom of God. Acts 1:3 (GNT)

HIS RETURN TO HEAVEN: And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. ¹⁰ And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; ¹¹ Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Acts 1:9-11(KJV)

HIS RETURN TO EARTH:  Behold, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him, and all tribes of the earth will wail on account of him. Even so. Amen. Revelation 1:7 (ESV)

JOHN’S GLIMPSE OF HEAVEN: “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. ⁴ He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore…” ⁵ And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” Revelation 21:3-5 (ESV)