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Unstoppable! 'The Messiah Has Come!' — Acts 28:20 Thursday, December 28, 2023 [Paul addressed the Jewish leaders in Rome and explained:] "I asked you to come here today so we could get acquainted and so I could explain to you that I am bound with this chain because I believe that the hope of Israel — the Messiah — has already come." — Acts 28:20 NLT Key Thought From the beginning of the proclamation of the Good News, a key message has been that Jesus of Nazareth is both Lord and Messiah — he is worthy of worship by both Gentiles (for whom the designation as Lord would be particularly meaningful) and Jews (who had been anticipating the Messiah for centuries).* Jesus came as the Messiah and was rejected, killed, and then raised on the third day. His resurrection was his divine proof that God's Messiah was the suffering servant prophesied in Isaiah.** Jesus accepted this role of suffering servant for his life and ministry to show the Jews that they should reframe their concept of Israel's Messiah from a conquering hero to a servant who bore the sins and shared the human suffering of the people he came to save. Jesus is Lord of all and the Messiah who has already come! * See the first set of Related Scripture Readings. * See the second set of Related Scripture Readings. TODAY'S PRAYER Thank you, Lord Jesus, for living to intercede for me when I pray.^ Thank you for being my beloved Lord and Messiah who shared my humanity and now is in the presence of the Father to bring my prayers to him.^^ I thank you for your ministry on earth — your healing, teaching, and doing good to those in need. Thank you for your ministry now as the head of your church and the coming King of glory. I await your return in glory and honor as the only Lord and Messiah, the one to whom all praise and glory belong, both now and forever. Amen. ^ Hebrews 7:23-25. ^^ Hebrews 2:14-18, 4:14-16. RELATED SCRIPTURE READINGS Luke 24:44-49; Acts 2:22-36; Romans 1:1-5 Isaiah 42:1–4, 49:1–6, 50:4–7, 52:13–53:12.