{"id":29875,"date":"2025-12-14T17:56:41","date_gmt":"2025-12-14T17:56:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/immanuelfamily.org\/?post_type=cpl_item&p=29875"},"modified":"2025-12-17T04:13:54","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T04:13:54","slug":"our-justice-jesus-prophetic-meaning-of-christmas","status":"publish","type":"cpl_item","link":"https:\/\/immanuelfamily.org\/es\/sermons\/our-justice-jesus-prophetic-meaning-of-christmas\/","title":{"rendered":"Our Justice: Jesus-Prophetic Meaning of Christmas"},"content":{"rendered":"

Congregation, what\u2019s true justice?<\/span><\/strong>
There\u2019s two different ways to answer that.
What is justice? What\u2019s true justice?<\/p>\n

Modern sensibilities\u2014meaning our times, our wider culture\u2014senses of justice are tinged with or defined by social equity. And I\u2019m not saying these are bad things. I\u2019m just saying how justice is defined in our wider culture: social equity, economic equity. They define social equity or something closer to it as equal opportunity. For some people, that\u2019s not only an opportunity of access but of outcome.<\/p>\n

But we aren\u2019t sovereign people, are we?<\/p>\n

You didn\u2019t decide when you were born, where you were born, to whom you were born. You didn\u2019t decide what gifts you have. I mean, just innate gifts. Are you athletic? You say, \u201cWell, I\u2019ve never been athletic.\u201d OK, you weren\u2019t born with the gift of athleticism. Are you musical? Does it all come natural to you, to just make sense? No? Well then you weren\u2019t born musical. And you can\u2019t make yourself what you\u2019re simply not.<\/p>\n

I can\u2019t be 6 foot 3, 215 lbs, and an athlete. I\u2019m not sovereign to make myself what I\u2019m not. And that\u2019s true of so much of life.<\/p>\n

Is that fair?
Is that just?<\/p>\n

Why am I in this circumstance? Why was I born to these parents, these times, with this lack of gifts, this lack of skills?<\/p>\n

And we look around at our world\u2014again, I\u2019m defining justice within a wider context\u2014you didn\u2019t make the choice to be a math brain. Maybe you are, but that\u2019s just how God made you. You didn\u2019t decide to have a skill for language or mechanics or cooking or a knack at organization and numbers.<\/p>\n

None of this is your choice. You can develop the gift that\u2019s there or neglect it\u2014that\u2019s a choice\u2014but there\u2019s so much about life that just comes to us. It\u2019s just there.<\/p>\n

Which then shows us that a modern sense of justice doesn\u2019t have a very good sense of how life works.<\/p>\n

What if I were to say to you: you know what justice is? You know how God or the Bible defines justice biblically?<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll start with the Ten Commandments.<\/p>\n

You want to see a just world? Let\u2019s start with a sense of who God is, how life is to be ordered, what we\u2019re to pivot our life around, what\u2019s to matter most.<\/p>\n

And first\u2014you want justice? Here\u2019s the thing. In the Bible, the Hebrew word for justice is the exact same word for righteousness. And that\u2019s not only true in Hebrew. The Greek word for justice is the exact same word for righteousness. Exact same word. You only have one word for both.<\/p>\n

So when you say justice, you\u2019re saying righteousness. What is right. What is in the right.<\/p>\n

So that being justified by faith in Jesus Christ, I\u2019m placed in the right before God\u2019s eyes. I\u2019m recognized as just, righteous, in the right. Good.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important we think about that.<\/p>\n

Because if we were to define then justice by the Ten Commandments\u2014what is right, what is good\u2014well then we would only love God first and our life would only pivot around Him.<\/p>\n

And if we had a just society, that would be true. Everyone\u2019s life worships God. The earth is full of the knowledge of the Lord. Everyone loves the Lord. Hallowed be His name.<\/p>\n

You want a just society? It starts right there.<\/p>\n

You can see where I\u2019m going to go with this.<\/p>\n

Only Jesus is our justice.
Only Jesus is our righteousness.
Only Jesus will bring us what is an ache in our hearts for what is wrong to be put right, what\u2019s fractured to be mended, what is broken to be healed.<\/p>\n

And so you can go down the Ten Commandments\u2014from worshiping God rightly, to using His name well, to using His day well, to honoring authority starting with parents, protecting life, protecting marriage, protecting one\u2019s property, protecting one\u2019s reputation and good name.<\/p>\n

All of that. Imagine a world.<\/p>\n

You want to see justice? Live the Ten Commandments. Fulfill the Ten Commandments.<\/p>\n

And then you\u2019re also not pining for what you don\u2019t have. You\u2019re not coveting everyone else\u2019s stuff. You find a certain contentment under God\u2019s care. It\u2019s an act of faith.<\/p>\n

And then offering yourself in service and generosity\u2014there\u2019s a just society. There\u2019s righteousness.<\/p>\n

Instead, we have war and wickedness and criminality and even governing authorities acting like crooks and skimming off the top with schemes. And we have people brutalizing one another and marriage broken and all these kinds of the fallout of it all.<\/p>\n

And Israel itself\u2014now let\u2019s turn back the clock\u2014is under a Roman boot and being taxed so that the Romans can further build their armies to further oppress them. And David\u2019s house is in collapse. They\u2019ve come back from exile, but they\u2019ve always been under foreign authority ever since. Misery.<\/p>\n

No wonder Simeon\u2014a prophet, a holy man, a godly man\u2014is longing for the consolation of Israel. Longing for things to be put right. Longing for \u201cKingdom come\u201d and God\u2019s will being done. Longing for the way, the truth, the life, the answer\u2014that\u2019s the Messiah, Jesus.<\/p>\n

And that is what we find here this morning.<\/p>\n

That we see a world full of sin in all of its misery, and we want redemption. We want salvation. We need the comfort of the coming Messiah\u2014the answer, Jesus.<\/p>\n

What we celebrate for Christmas\u2014Jesus is our justice. True justice.<\/p>\n

And it\u2019s all made clear in this prophetic statement of Simeon explaining all of this.<\/p>\n

So we\u2019re going to look at the timing of this ministry, and how this is all fulfilled by a divine promise and persistent prayer, and it brings about a startling and glorious outcome. And we really\u2014we indeed really need this now.<\/p>\n

Now you start with Simeon here, and we\u2019re told a few things about him\u2014things we need to listen to in Luke 2 here.<\/p>\n

Now you start with Simeon here, and we\u2019re told a few things about him\u2014things we need to listen to in Luke 2 here. Gonna get, find my place back in Luke 2 starting at verse 23. We\u2019re told\u2014well, in 22\u2014the time of purification of the law of Moses. So this is 40 days after His birth. At 8 days He\u2019d been circumcised, and now comes that as the firstborn He\u2019d be presented before the Lord, and every firstborn male to be consecrated in this way, and to offer a sacrifice in connection with that.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re told here a pair of doves or two young pigeons. Mary and Joseph are not people of means, so it\u2019s the poor man\u2019s kind of sacrifice.<\/p>\n

And then we\u2019re introduced to Simeon. There\u2019s this man in Jerusalem, Simeon\u2014righteous and devout. Righteous\u2014there\u2019s that word again\u2014in the right, a just man, a right man, a man who does what\u2019s right, righteous in God\u2019s eyes. Devout, devoted, set apart. He doesn\u2019t live his life distracted with other kingdoms and other desires.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo Lord, I long for things to be the way they\u2019re supposed to be\u2014made right\u2014because the world\u2019s fractured and broken, and there\u2019s tears and misery and sorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n

And we\u2019re told here that he\u2019s waiting for consolation. Now that\u2019s a comfort word. You know, you turn to the book of Revelation chapter 21 and you get this vision of the new heaven and the new earth and the bride coming down to meet her husband\u2014that is Jesus Christ, the church made well.<\/p>\n

And one of the things He does upon this fulfillment of the fullness of the reign of Jesus is wipe every tear from their eyes.<\/p>\n

Why? Because there are tears. That\u2019s why.<\/p>\n

Is your life so perfect, so excellent, you don\u2019t have any family members or dear to you whose lives are messy or broken or hurting or shipwreckage? Is your life so perfect, so excellent, that you don\u2019t have an ache in your heart for things to be made right the way they\u2019re supposed to be?<\/p>\n

You like life just the way it is? Let it coast on in this sinful path?<\/p>\n

Or do you have an ache in your soul\u2014hurt, tears in your eyes?<\/p>\n

Jesus comes to wipe them away, to make it well, to heal.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s waiting for consolation, for comfort here. Israel has been in her unbelief, even exiled to a foreign place, graciously brought back to the promised land. But ever since, you know, it\u2019s one kingdom after another.<\/p>\n

And during this era, following the age of Alexander the Great and the rule of the Greek empire, came the Roman empire, and now she\u2019s under that oppression.<\/p>\n

How does the Christmas story begin? Caesar Augustus barking orders. He\u2019s the boss. Go get registered. Go get\u2014I gotta know who lives where, who\u2019s from what, how many people I\u2019ve conquered and rule so that I can tax them better.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s why they find themselves where they are.<\/p>\n

And as they now have traveled to Jerusalem to fulfill the law of Moses\u2014because they\u2019re devoted people, they\u2019re going to live out of the word of God and do what it asks us to do for that time and place\u2014this man is waiting for consolation.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re also told the Holy Spirit was upon him, and this had been revealed to him. The Spirit had revealed that he wouldn\u2019t die before he\u2019d seen the Lord\u2019s Christ.<\/p>\n

So here\u2019s a man who lived a prophetic life, which meant he wasn\u2019t prophesying about something we can\u2019t know. A prophet is principally telling us and reminding us what is revealed in the Bible and we do know.<\/p>\n

And so he\u2019s been given this special message: the Messiah is on the way. Look. Wait. Expect.<\/p>\n

We might be under a Roman boot, but there\u2019s One who brings liberation. And finally it\u2019s a kind of liberation\u2014a lot more than a political or economic freedom from an earthly power\u2014but a demonic power, and the power of sin in our lives.<\/p>\n

The One who will bring true comfort.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s your only comfort in life and in death? That I\u2019m not my own, but belong\u2014body and soul, in life and in death\u2014to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ, who\u2019s fully washed away all my sins.<\/p>\n

That comfort.<\/p>\n

And we find here also that as this has been revealed to him, he wouldn\u2019t die. But upon this being revealed to him, he probably would find death soon on the horizon.<\/p>\n

And moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. And he finds the parents of Jesus, the child Jesus, doing what they\u2019re supposed to do.<\/p>\n

And someone takes up this child in his arms, and he praises God:<\/p>\n

\u201cSovereign Lord, as You promised, You can dismiss Your servant in peace. My eyes have seen Your salvation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Wait a minute\u2014salvation? I\u2019ve seen the way, the truth, the life, the answer, the hope, the blessing, the victory\u2014right here in the little infant.<\/p>\n

He hasn\u2019t yet had an earthly ministry. He hasn\u2019t yet gone to before trial. He hasn\u2019t been crucified. He hasn\u2019t entered a tomb. He hasn\u2019t yet emerged from that tomb in victory as an ascended in the glory. He doesn\u2019t sit at the right hand of the Father.<\/p>\n

Yet he\u2019s been given the insight of this plan of God, which starts in all the weakness of an infant child. And God patiently works His redemption through the long process of growing up into maturity.<\/p>\n

And he has a prophetic word then about this Jesus\u2014this baby, the Messiah, the anointed one. That\u2019s what Christ means. That\u2019s what Messiah means\u2014anointed one.<\/p>\n

When you anoint someone in those Old Testament and New Testament times, it was like being given a task, an office, a commission to accomplish something that you\u2019ve been called to do. You\u2019re anointed for a task. You\u2019re set apart, recognized, empowered to go do it.<\/p>\n

And there\u2019s only One who is that as Messiah\u2014the Anointed One\u2014to save His people from their sins.<\/p>\n

Or as John the Baptist would say upon witnessing Christ coming to him: \u201cBehold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n

Well, Simeon has been given a glimpse of this victory already at this stage.<\/p>\n

And then he speaks those prophetic words:<\/p>\n

\u201cSovereign Lord, You\u2019ve promised. Now dismiss Your servant in peace. My eyes have seen Your salvation, prepared in the sight of all people\u2014a light for revelation to the Gentiles.\u201d<\/p>\n

Oh\u2014it\u2019s a global thing now. It\u2019s not a tribal thing of an ethnic people\u2014the Hebrews, the Jews. No, it\u2019s for the Gentiles too. It widens out, just like the promise to Abraham long ago: through your seed all the nations of the earth will be blessed.<\/p>\n

The arrival of the salvation, the reigning Jesus Christ\u2014the Messiah, the Lord\u2014is a blessing to all peoples. It was always in the plan. It was never to be huddled in, hidden, kept away. It was always to reach its fulfillment in a worldwide ministry.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd a glory for Your people Israel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Israel is not excluded, but now we\u2019re all included.<\/p>\n

And they can only marvel at this.<\/p>\n

And he blessed them, and he gives a prophetic word:<\/p>\n

\u201cThis child is destined to cause the fall and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign to be spoken against.\u201d<\/p>\n

People will love Jesus, hate Jesus. They\u2019ll adore Jesus, abhor Jesus. They\u2019ll follow Jesus; they\u2019ll yell, \u201cCrucify Jesus.\u201d They\u2019ll bow before Him in worship; they will hang Him up in derision.<\/p>\n

Some will fall in their unbelief. Others will rise in their faith.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is the prophetic word.<\/p>\n

You see that we\u2019re given the timing of this ministry\u2014it\u2019s all to fulfill promises given to Simeon, that he wouldn\u2019t die till\u2014and it\u2019s fulfilled by a promise, as we\u2019ve seen, that He\u2019s the answer.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also fulfilled in prayer, because we\u2019re also introduced to a prophetess named Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. That\u2019s one of the lost tribes, by the way\u2014but not totally lost. There\u2019s a tiny remnant here, and she\u2019s part of it.<\/p>\n

Very, very old woman. Had been married for seven years and had been a widow ever since. Very old. And she either lived at the temple or just always was there\u2014spent her time there constantly.<\/p>\n

She worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. She\u2019s like the persistent widow who doesn\u2019t give up.<\/p>\n

She isn\u2019t like, \u201cWell, I have time to pray today, maybe I\u2019ll get around to praying.\u201d This is her whole life\u2019s devotion. This is her occupation. This is her preoccupation.<\/p>\n

If Simeon has a prophetic ministry, here\u2019s a prophetess\u2014as rare as they are. Here\u2019s one of them.<\/p>\n

And she comes up at this moment, and she\u2019s giving thanks and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s inclusive of Israel.<\/p>\n

Redemption is a word that means you\u2019re in bondage, but you\u2019ve been purchased out of bondage and set free. You\u2019re under a tyranny, and you\u2019ve been delivered from a tyranny. You\u2019ve been enslaved, and now you\u2019re free.<\/p>\n

\u201cLord, set us free. Lord, answer our prayers. Lord, we\u2019re struggling. We\u2019re hanging on by our fingernails of faith. We\u2019re not strong. We don\u2019t have the answers. We\u2019re not the solution. Bring the answer. Bring Messiah. Bring redemption.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the kind of prayer she was ever praying.<\/p>\n

And then you have Simeon\u2014all the consolation of Israel.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s so much that hurts in life. Can\u2019t we relate to all of this?<\/p>\n

Because we\u2019re not called to wait for Jesus\u2019 first coming\u2014He\u2019s come. We celebrate Christmas Day or Christmas Eve, whenever you might have a service. You celebrate the coming of the Christ.<\/p>\n

He lived. He died. He rose. He reigns.<\/p>\n

But we\u2019re still in the battle of faith. We\u2019re still in the struggle to serve. And we\u2019re still waiting for the coming again of the Christ to bring the full, complete victory\u2014putting it all right, making justice fill the earth, making righteousness\u2014justice, same word\u2014fill the earth.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re a political kind of person\u2014whether you\u2019re tilted left or right\u2014it doesn\u2019t matter. It\u2019s stinky. It\u2019s corrupt. Where there\u2019s power, there\u2019s corruption. There\u2019s taking advantage of others. There\u2019s skimming off the top. There\u2019s looking out for\u2014if you lived in the 70s, remember\u2014hold that one number one. That\u2019s always yourself.<\/p>\n

And then you just look around at hearts that hurt, lives that bleed, people who are desperate\u2014turning to a bottle or a pill box or some illicit drug. Or not broken that way, but just worshiping all that life can give you now. \u201cMy best life now\u201d is to be rich or be filled with as many adventures and experiences as possible.<\/p>\n

All sorts of people\u2014whether they\u2019re rich or drug addicted or simply in love with money\u2014ever trying to numb the pain of boredom or of hurt or shame in their lives, how they\u2019ve hurt people.<\/p>\n

Things are so broken.<\/p>\n

\u201cLord, come. Lord Jesus.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s one of the last prayers in the Bible.
Maranatha.<\/em>
Come, Lord Jesus. Come quickly.<\/p>\n

We want the consolation of \u201cKingdom come.\u201d We want justice and righteousness and rightness to fill the earth, because there\u2019s wrongness and wickedness and unrighteousness and injustice everywhere.<\/p>\n

Jesus is our justice.
He\u2019s our righteousness.
He\u2019s our hope.
He\u2019s our victory.
He is the way, the truth, the life.<\/p>\n

And both Simeon and Anna show us that this is fulfilled by a promise and by prayer.<\/p>\n

And we have to live by promise and by prayer.<\/p>\n

I can say to my shame, I don\u2019t pray enough. I pray\u2014you know\u2014I don\u2019t pray more. Keep more people in my heart and more of God\u2019s cause as the immediate desire.<\/p>\n

When Jesus taught us to pray, He taught us first things first.<\/p>\n

\u201cHallowed be Thy name.\u201d<\/p>\n

First things first. Sounds like the first commandment\u2014no other gods before Me. First things first.<\/p>\n

And then, \u201cThy kingdom come.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not \u201cmy life be happy.\u201d
Let the rule of the Christ come.
Let the reign of the Messiah be manifest.<\/p>\n

And when that happens\u2014\u201cThy will be done on earth as it is in heaven\u201d\u2014then Satan\u2019s cause diminishes. Wickedness gets pushed out of the way. What is good and right and just and true plows its way through the world.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s why the church has such a high calling\u2014to be light and salt.<\/p>\n

You see, we reflect the Messiah. We reflect His righteousness. As just as we want to treat people with dignity and honor, we go forth out in the world and we still wear the badge\u2014or we have the jersey\u2014of Jesus on us, if you will.<\/p>\n

And so everything we do reflects Him.<\/p>\n

Thus, to love like He does.
To have the mind of Christ.
To consider others.
To seek their benefit.<\/p>\n

This is part of a just, righteous world.<\/p>\n

You might say, \u201cWell, it\u2019s small beginnings.\u201d Yes. Good doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s big or small. What matters is that it\u2019s faithful, and it\u2019s in the trajectory of \u201cKingdom come\u201d in its victory in fullness.<\/p>\n

And then notice that the blessing of the Christ is further manifest here in our last point, if you will\u2014that this brings about a startling and glorious outcome, which is a Kingdom-come outcome.<\/p>\n

Because in announcing this, first you have Mary and Joseph\u2014the father and mother of Jesus\u2014who marveled at what was said about Him.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s the light of revelation to the Gentiles.
He\u2019s the glory for the people of Israel.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s right.<\/p>\n

And the prophetess Anna saying He\u2019s the One through whom redemption of Jerusalem comes.<\/p>\n

All of that glory\u2014startling, amazing.<\/p>\n

But the thoughts of many hearts are revealed. And a sword\u2014Simeon says to Mary\u2014will pierce your own soul too.<\/p>\n

Before there\u2019s crown, there\u2019s cross.<\/p>\n

Some people want to believe in Jesus\u2014and you have these false gospels.<\/p>\n

Believe in Jesus to get rich.
Believe in Jesus just to have a happy, wide-smile life.
Believe in Jesus and it\u2019s all about you and your happiness and a flourishing life like worldly people.<\/p>\n

Believe in Jesus and be worldly like worldly people, except your worldliness comes from Jesus, not from the world.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s still worldliness.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no cross in that.
There\u2019s no sacrifice in that.
There\u2019s no following\u2014taking up your life to lose your life\u2014in that.
There\u2019s no self-denial in that.
There\u2019s no following in the steps of Jesus, bearing your own cross, dying to your old self.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s none of that in that.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why it\u2019s false. And it\u2019s not really about salvation and forgiveness and redemption\u2014it\u2019s just about your own greed and our own needs.<\/p>\n

The startling outcome here is the pathway of following Jesus\u2014for Mary and for so many others.<\/p>\n

The sword pierces your own soul.<\/p>\n

And probably part of that is she will see the answer, the way, the truth, the life\u2014on a cross, crucified. That is certainly a sword piercing your soul.<\/p>\n

But also, the sword pierces our souls when people we love\u2014whom we have nurtured in the faith\u2014turn aside. That pierces our soul too.<\/p>\n

Our souls are pierced when we see the falling instead of the rising of many\u2014when people walk away from the faith.<\/p>\n

Our soul gets pierced again when we\u2019re brought to repentance and the shame of our own sins.<\/p>\n

So many people live a \u201cwhatever\u201d life\u2014you know, a teenager \u201cwhatever\u201d life\u2014Christian life, so-called Christian life. \u201cWhatever.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOh, the Christian life is ho-hum and boring.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yeah\u2014because your soul isn\u2019t on fire for Jesus.<\/p>\n

Ask to be put on fire.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re apathetic and indifferent, ask\u2014not to be\u2014\u201cLord, heal me. Mend me. Change me. Inspire me. Fire me up.\u201d<\/p>\n

But then, being fired up, get ready to serve\u2014and yes, bear a cross, and perhaps swords piercing your soul\u2014because some fall and don\u2019t rise.<\/p>\n

All of us need this word, where we see our Messiah as the just One.<\/p>\n

Perhaps I\u2019ll end this way.<\/p>\n

We saw it in Isaiah 9\u2014that passage we read. We saw some of those words: that though people are in darkness, light has come. People living in the shadow of death\u2014the light has dawned.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s Jesus.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s hope. There\u2019s help. There\u2019s enlightenment.<\/p>\n

And it goes on to say that He\u2019s the One who beats down all that brings plunder and brokenness. He shatters the yoke, the crossbar, the rod of the oppressor.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s burned up\u2014the warrior\u2019s garments rolled in blood, destined for fuel for the fire.<\/p>\n

This is the One who brings a government, a reign, a Kingdom\u2014come already here with Christ\u2019s first coming, but consummated, brought to its full victory, at His second coming.<\/p>\n

Who then brings justice in the earth.<\/p>\n

And He will reign on David\u2019s throne and over His Kingdom and uphold it with justice and righteousness forever.<\/p>\n

But you can turn two pages later\u2014about that\u2014in your Bible to chapter 11, and righteousness\u2014remember that word, righteousness, justice, same word\u2014will be His belt, and faithfulness the sash around His waist.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s Jesus too.<\/p>\n

And He\u2019ll strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He\u2019ll slay the wicked.<\/p>\n

He will bring righteousness on the earth.<\/p>\n

The day is coming when He comes again, dear brothers and sisters. It won\u2019t be\u2014it will be to save and usher us forth into the glory to come, but it will also be a final day\u2014a judgment day, a day of vengeance, a day of victory.<\/p>\n

He comes again to judge the living and the dead. We confess that in the Apostles\u2019 Creed. That\u2019s what He comes to do.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s our consolation. That\u2019s our longing.<\/p>\n

Jesus is the justice of God.<\/p>\n

Where the outcome is: there are no other gods before God. There\u2019s no worshiping something wrongly instead of God. God\u2019s name is hallowed, not desecrated. We\u2019ve entered the full rest of Sabbath day\u2014eternally.<\/p>\n

And now there\u2019s no more tears and crying and pain because of murder and slander and adultery.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s the fullness of righteousness made round\u2014
all things made right,
in the right,
right with God,
and God all in all.<\/p>\n

Jesus\u2014when we think of the coming of the Christ\u2014we need to think of the victory, and we need to think of the Victor, and we need to think of our Savior.<\/p>\n

Then\u2014Jesus.<\/p>\n

We need to pray for that justice, that righteousness\u2014our Savior, our King.<\/p>\n

Amen. Lord, bless Your word to us.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Congregation, what\u2019s true justice?There\u2019s two different ways to answer that.What is justice? What\u2019s true justice? Modern sensibilities\u2014meaning our times, our wider culture\u2014senses of justice are tinged with or defined by social equity. And I\u2019m not saying these are bad things. I\u2019m just saying how justice is defined in our wider culture: social equity, economic equity. […]<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","cpl_scripture":[62],"cpl_season":[],"cpl_topic":[],"class_list":["post-29875","cpl_item","type-cpl_item","status-publish","hentry","cpl_scripture-luke"],"blocksy_meta":[],"cpl_transcript":"","cmb2":{"item_meta":{"audio_url":"https:\/\/immanuelfamily.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Our-Justice_-Jesus-Pophetic-Meaning.mp3","audio_url_id":"","video_url":"https:\/\/youtube.com\/live\/QvoM-Vt2ifo","video_url_id":"","message_timestamp":"","podcast_exclude":"","downloads":""}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/immanuelfamily.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cpl_item\/29875","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/immanuelfamily.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cpl_item"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/immanuelfamily.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/cpl_item"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/immanuelfamily.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29875"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"cpl_scripture","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/immanuelfamily.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cpl_scripture?post=29875"},{"taxonomy":"cpl_season","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/immanuelfamily.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cpl_season?post=29875"},{"taxonomy":"cpl_topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/immanuelfamily.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/cpl_topic?post=29875"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}