Wed., 12/19/12 Devotion (Zech. 6:12b)

Today's encouragement comes from Zechariah 6:12b, where we read these words:

"Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, and He shall build the temple of the LORD."

This OT Messianic prophecy is perfectly fulfilled in our Lord Jesus Christ. The Son of God came from heaven, planted Himself in the fal-len earth, and has spread out over all the globe (through the exten-sion of His church--as she preaches the gospel of grace).

That exact same pattern is the one for all true Christian churchmen to follow: be grounded (by grace through faith) in Jesus, be faithful members of His body, and from there bear fruit (which is the expan-sion of His kingdom [church]).

[Puritan quote of the day: "Can Christ forget Himself? We are His full-ness, as He is ours." --Richard Sibbes, in, "The Bruised Reed"]