In Jesus, God acted first, even when we were dead in our trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:5).
Yahweh who is pierced and mourned in prophecy is Jesus who is pierced and mourned in fulfillment.
There is indeed a responsibility for the church to share the gospel in the world, but never at the expense of the church’s charity and mercy for those neighbors who are nearby.

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Jesus stands before the disciples as the bridge between heaven and earth, and between Old Testament and New Testament.
Zephaniah has given us something more visceral to help us understand the love of God: the sound of salvation.
This week we will take a closer look at God's love in Scripture.
We too are God’s baptized, beloved, blood-bought believers. And no one can ever take that away from us.
Isaiah says in summary “liturgical ritual without works is dead” because we render the meaningful worship of God meaningless and even sinful when we do not love our neighbor.
Forty days after giving birth, Mary, along with her husband Joseph, presented their firstborn Son at the temple and "bought" him back with a sacrifice of two small birds. This is known as the "Presentation of Our Lord."
Even as he was dying, the heart of God poured itself out for the sake of sinners.
He has given us more than a surprise Gospel in our text. He has given us everything we need for life and salvation in Him.
I think the problem with the idea of eternity is that we do not have any direct experience of it, but we encounter enough of its possibility to be unsettling.
All of Scripture, every last syllable of it, is meant to drive us to "consider Jesus," the One who comes to "make us right" by gifting us his righteousness.
He will safely birth us from this world, which is like a womb, into Heaven itself. On that day we will truly see the creation as it was made to be, restored and perfect in eternity forever.
The usual acclamation when one becomes King is: “Long live the King!” But this King of kings, this son of David, has come to die.