LaRocque Family

Personal Significance of Jesus Christ

We've made the case from Scripture that Jesus perfecty fills several key roles:

• Prophet
• Priest
• King
• God

So, how does that impact my life? What do each of these positions do for me, and why does it matter that Jesus is a perfect fit for each one?

Jesus is God
This really is the most important, and everything else hinges on this.

• Ability
  1. "Before Abraham was born, I am" Joh 8:58 So, if Jesus lived before Abraham was even born, it's safe to say He lived before you were born! Living before everybody, along with everybody, and even after everybody gives some advantages. Nothing comes as a surprise to Him 1Cor 10:13. Nothing in your life is new to Him or is unexpected Jo 2:24-25. There is nothing He can't handle, nothing too difficult Jude 1:24. When you've seen the storyline from beginning to end, along with every possible path that could be taken along the way.
  2. "He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together" Col 1:17 The designer and maker of something has an intimate knowledge of how it works. Even some things man puts together are incredibly complicated and require teams of people to understand and pull off. Astronomically more so with God, able to simply speak and the universe in unbelievable complexity exists. He has that same knowledge over the spiritual world as well Jo 3:23-24. In any case, there is nothing in the world, physical or spiritual, that is beyond His power Mat 10:28.
• Authority
  1. "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" Mat 28:18 As if being God Himself isn't enough to go on, Jesus has been specifically granted authority - all authority - in heaven and on earth! Don't fall for any lie that "the devil made you do it," or "I just couldn' t help it!" Absolutely nothing you do is outside the scope of Jesus' authority. You can accomplish all of God's will, because he has the authority and ability to enable you to do so Php 4:13!

Jesus is King
He has Power
Remember the purpose of a king is to bring peace to His kingdom.

• Justice Joh 5:30
  This has a lot do with being fair and treating all equally before the law. Jesus isn't going to play favorites because of wealth, goodness, talents, background or whatever. You will be cared for Him just as well as any other person on earth. That confidence of not having to beat out the next guy for the better treatment should quell all sorts of strife. Now if we're working for our own ends, this won't help, because He as equally fairly/justly will put you back in your place! It goes both ways! Righteousness is the source of justice.
  Righteousness is very similar to holiness, in that it is "comprehending holy principles and affections of heart, and conformity to the diving law." (Webster's)
• A Kingdom Php 2:10-11
  The King is particularly concerned with His people. As a Christian, you are part of Christ's nation 1Pe 2:9. God does mercifully show His grace on the whole world Mat 5:45, but He especially looks out for His own Tit 2:14. The fact that your nationality innately benefits you, empowers you, and opens doors of opportunity to you shouldn't be taken lightly. Go for it! You have the backing of the King of Kings to go about your life doing His bidding.

Jesus is Priest
He has Position
If only we always lived for Jesus as God and King! But we mess up, we fail, we fall to our sinful nature, and foolishly choose Rom 3:10-18 to turn away from such a wonderful leader. Don't despair, the Priest is willing and able to restore you to fellowship with God!

• Experience
  Jesus has suffered through temptations as a man, just like us Heb 2:18. He understands us and what we're going through - not just some fabled god high up on a mountain disconnected from the realities of humanity. Don't forget, He made you, too . . .
  Somehow or another, when Jesus the Son of God died on the cross, He experienced the same separation from God that we are born to, live in when we sin, and die in if we do not believe. He understands completely what's at stake, and is committed to getting you in fellowship with God! Jo 3:16-17
• Birthright Heb 8:1
  The priest is a mediator between you and God. One who is a man can appeal your case to God as a man himself, and no more. He has to be extremely careful to be sure his own relationship with God is whole to be able to properly handle yours. This is not a problem with Jesus! He is the one and only begotten Son of the very God you're trying to reach. God loves His Son Joh 3:35, and will forgive you because of Jesus.

Jesus is Prophet
He has Authority
There are so many prophets that were used by God to reveal Himself to us. What makes Jesus particularly import as a prophet to us?

• Expanded Law
  Jesus completely changed the way we look at God's law. He showed how the Jewish leadership had gone in the wrong direction with the Law, and pointed us in the right direction. The Law wasn't wrong Mat 5:17, it was the application of it that had gone awry.
  "I haven't sinned!" Yeah, right. Lest you feel self-righteous in your life of outward compliance, Jesus makes it clear the bar is way, way higher than that. He addresses murder, adultery, lying, anger, and love Mat 5:21-48, showing that the what God really wants is your heart.
  "I've done so much good!" For whose benefit? The Pharisees had their tithes figured out of the miniscule amounts of expensive spices they dealt with, yet neglected the big picture of a life for God Mat 23:23. Often we focus on one success so we can gloss over our failures elsewhere. God doesn't miss anything. He also clarifies issues like the Sabbath, making it clear again that God's law is exactly as specific as it needs be, and doesn't need our additions to it Mar 2:24-28.
• New Life
  Even more than just the Law, Jesus opened the door wide and welcomes you to a personal relationship with God. Sating your spiritual hunger and thirst, He personally welcomes you to a fulfilled life of life Jo 3:21,36, joy, and contentment Php 4:10-13.
  There is nothing better than a life lived for Christ, despite what all around you is telling you. Jesus is the only way to that life, and wants you to live it!

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Jesus Christ: The Son of God

1. He said so
   • "I am" Lu 22:70
   • "I and the Father are one." Joh 10:30
   • "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" Joh 14:9
2. John the Baptist said so
   • "This is the Son of God" Joh 1:34
3. His Father says so
   • "This is my beloved Son" Mat 3:17; 17:5
   • "The Father who sent Me testifies about Me" Joh 8:18
   • "God . . . Has testified concerning His Son." 1Jo 5:9
4. His disciples said so
   • "You are . . . The Son of the living God" Mat 16:16
   • "The Word was God" Joh 1:1
   • "In Him all the fullness of Deity dwells" Col 2:9
5. The Old Testament says so
   • "The Scriptures . . .testify about Me" Joh 5:39
   • The Angel of the Lord is definitely God
     • "I brought you up out of Egypt" Jud 13:3
     • He is also sent from God, so is a separate person Ge 24:7
     • Jesus is Deity in bodily form Col 2:9, but is not limited to time as mere humans are, so could appear in the Old Testament.
6. The Holy Spirit says so
   • "The Helper . . . will testify about Me" Joh 15:26
7. His works proved so
   • "The very works that I do - testify about Me" Joh 5:36
8. Evil spirit say so
   • "What business do we have with each other, Son of God?" Mat 8:29; Mar 1:24
   • "You are the Son of God!" Mar 3:11; Luk 4:41
9. His characteristics proved so:
   • He existed before He was born
     • "In the beginning was the Word" Joh 1:1
     • "Before Abraham was born, I am" Joh 8:58
     • "He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together" Col 1:17
     • "I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last Rev 22:13
   • He had authority
     • "He was teaching them as one having authority" Mat 7:29
     • "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" Mat 28:18
   • He knew the future
     • "Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe" Joh 6:64
     • "Jesus, knowing all the things that were coming up Him" Joh 18:4
     • "I go away, and I will come to you" Joh 14:28
   • He is Lord
     • "The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath" Lu 6:5
     • "He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as Prince and Savior" Ac 5:31
   • His preeminence
     • "He is mightier than I" Mat 3:11
     • "He who comes from above is above all" Joh 3:31
     • "He is also the head" Col 1:18
   • His dominion
     • "To Him was given dominion" Da 7:14
     • "Even the winds and the sea obey Him" Mat 8:27
     • "He put all things in subjection under His feet" Eph 1:22
     • "Angels and authorities and powers had been subjected to Him" 1Pe 3:22
   • His exaltation
     • "He . . .sat down at the right hand of God" Mar 16:19; Lu 22:69
     • "God has made Him both Lord and Christ" Ac 2:36
     • "God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name" Php 2:9 
     • "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing" Rev 5:12

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Christ: Prophet, Priest, and King

1. Prophet
   1. De 18:15-18 - A prophet is simply a mouthpiece of God. When the people of Israel heard the voice of the Lord God directly speaking the Ten Commandments, they were literally scared to death, and afraid for their lives. So, God mercifully continued the transfer of His law to them by using prophets, like Moses.
      
      So, here in Deuteronomy 18, God is clarifying what it means to be His prophet:

      This last point is worth considering. How would you, hearing the words of a supposed prophet, know whether what he spoke was true or not? First, remember that prophecy is not always about knowing the future. Prophecy is simply declaring the word of God, which very often was very much settled in the present. For instance, when Jesus was talking with the Samaritan woman at the well, He established His credibility by demonstrating that He knew her current and past marital status Jo 4:17-19. She immediately acknowledges this by calling Him a prophet, and proceeds to question Him further on matters on which a prophet would be an authority: how to worship God.

      1. He would be like Moses, a descendant of Abraham
      2. He would speak the words that God commands him
      3. All who heard and did not listen to those words would have to answer to God, as if the words came directly from God
      4. He would pay with his life for falsely giving words as God's
      5. His words would be proven true

   2. A prophet would also have power from God to perform miracles, as proof of his authority to speak the words of God. The Jewish leadership knew this was a requirement, and asked for Jesus' proof of authority by means of signs Jo 2:18, and even accepted his miracles as proof of his connection to God Jo 3:2.
      
      The bottom line is that a prophet's job is to accurately reveal God to His people. Jesus repeatedly insisted on His role of subjection to the word of God His Father, and beyond the innate authority of His words themselves Mat 7:28-29; Joh 7:40 proved Himself over and over again with sign after unquestionable sign. Just like God did when showing His power in signs to get His people out of Egypt Num 14:11, so Jesus backed up His claims with works of power Jo 14:11

   3. The Prophet. It is clear from the expectations of the Jews, and in further references in later NT writings, that God promised a singular Prophet with a unique position of speaking His Word De 18:18. Jesus alone is God become man, bringing the revelation of God to a new level with a physical presence on earth.

2. Priest
   The job of a priest is to reconcile men to God ("propitiation" Heb 2:17; Rom 8:34). Jesus is uniquely suited for this job. He didn't have to prove anything for this role, as with being a prophet. A priest has to be able to stand in the presence of God and ask forgiveness for the sins of the people. God carefully laid out requirements for the heredity, purification, and special provision for His priests, so they could just as carefully be sure to present themselves holy before God Ex 19:22. Over and over again, they had to do this, because the priests themselves had their own impurities to deal with Heb 10:4
   1. He was born to the position. As the sinless Son of God Heb 7:26, He has inherited the right to enter the presence of God the Father Heb 8:1.
   2. He earned the position. Because He gave His life, He became worthy of everything! All power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory and blessing! Is 53:12; Rev 5:6-14
   3. He deserves the position. He lived the life of a man, encountering all the temptations we do, without once falling to them. Luk 23:34; Heb 4:15
3. King
   Whereas a prophet declares the law of God, and a priest patches things up when people don't keep that law, the king provides means of implementing that law. Justice performed with wisdom and righteousness effects peace Is 9:7; Jer 23:5. A king has complete authority over His kingdom, bringing peace and power over His enemies. Da 7:14
   1. A kingdom. What's the point of being a king over nothing? Christ's kingdom is out of this world, literally Jo 18:36, for now. Eventually, He will also gain this world as well Rev 11:15; Php 2:10-11
   2. Justice. The authority to be taken seriously, instead of a mere figurehead, means real power, even when riding on a donkey! Zec 9:9
   3. Righteousness. With no self-pleasing, indulgent motives in mind, a righteous king keeps his authority and justice perfectly true to the words of God, and free from wickedness. Is 59:16; Ps 45:7

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SpellQuizzer

SpellQuizzer - as you can guess by the name- is an ingenious and affordable spelling program to aid your children with their spelling. I was pretty hesitant to use a computer program and really dragged my feet with this one. I thought it would be hard to install (it wasn't) and awkward to use (definately wasn't!). What did slow me down was finding a microphone (only because my husband didn't want me to go buy one. He knew there was one in a box somewhere!) Microphones are a dime a dozen and certainly shouldn't have been an excuse.If you are using this as a traditional spell quizzer, then you can build in prompts to remind about each practice word and a microphone isn't even necessary - but is recommended. However, with Spelling Power the microphone would be essential to use the lists the way it is supposed to be used.

This program has proved to be a lifesaver for us. My oldest son and daughter are supposed to take turns reading the lists in their Spelling Power books to each other.  However, while my 16 yo daughter LOVES spelling and reading , my son loathes it. So she is always nagging him to read her the list and he is always "forgetting" to get to it. It is not on the list of top 10 things and sometimes he struggles with pronunciation and using the words from her list in sentences, too. I know he was slowing her down in her progress, but she is far ahead and  I just didn't have enough hours in the day. I have often thought how nice it would be to record myself reading the lists and using the words in sentences so any of the kids could work on spelling independent of me and each other.

Then into my lap - through the The Old Schoolhouse Crew- dropped the opportunity to test out SpellQuizzer designed by Dan Hite.

I simply downloaded the software onto the computer my kids (by myself, I might add!) and started entering the lists. Set up was a breeze. It also saves on paper for us. My children only need to transfer the missed words to thier 10 step study sheet OR better yet start a custom list of words they missed so they can quizz themselves the next day.

The program is completely cusomizable and even my younger spellers will be able to use it. My son doesn't know it yet, but he is going to get practice entering the spelling lists in for the younger levels. There are even lists that can be imported from the website. I highly recommend this program as a handy tool to aid teaching. It works with ANY and all spelling programs. Additionally, it will help with keyboard practice. Younger kids could have an older child or parent type the word while they spell it, but even my 5 yo would love the novelty of getting to use the computer for spelling.

The program is only $29.95. You can also download a free trial offer for 30 days. If you are part of a school group or co-op bulk discounts are offered. Satisfaction is guaranteed. Dan's website is wondefully formatted and as easy to use as his program. Bravo! And thanks for the opportunity to review this wonderful program. It has been such a useful tool already!

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The Dirty Jobs

1. Do the unloved jobs even when you most don't feel like it. Jesus could have been spending time in sorrow over His impending death, or teaching some last little tidbit of perfect wisdom to His disciples. Jo 13:1-4
2. Teaching by example is an extremely powerful and effective method. Jo 13:5,15
3. Don't skip out on doing or benefiting from the dirty jobs, and miss fellowship with Christ. Jo 13:8
4. Don't overdo it either. Jesus didn't need to wash what was already clean. Jo 13:10
5. Follow Jesus' example. None of us are more than He is, and all of us should serve each other as well. Jo 13:14-16
6. Acting in humble acknowledgment of our subjection to each other Jo 13:17

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One2Believe - Noah's Ark Set

When a medium sized black box from Beverly Hills Bear Company arrived on my doorstep, I didn't know what in the world it could be! I didn't order anything, it wasn't my birthday yet, and I had never even heard of the company.

Well, being part of the TOS crew has taught me to "expect the unexpected". So, when my children were out of the room (just in case it was a bomb or something - ya know!) I cautiously opened the package.

Inside was the cutest and rather large plastic ark and adorable figures that I knew came from the company One2Believe for me to review. I had already reviewed the super cute nativity scene from them before Christmas time. Within moments of opening the box, my 4 yo (who can hear a box opening from anywhere in the world), came running in to see what I had!

She ran right out of the room and came back with , guess what??, the matching camels and other characters from the previous set.

I was a little disappointed Noah's whole family - including his wife, 3 sons and their wives- didn't make the journey. (But ummmm our set occasionally has Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus, because my daughter combines the pieces) Maybe they were out gathering more animals and the flood hadn't started yet? The set did include many animal pairs. One day I would like to see an ark set contain 7 of each clean animal… but that is a separate unrelated post. Anyway… back on task now…

My daughter loved the set. Her brothers (5 and 7 and even the 11 yo) did as well. However, they gave into her tantrums and let her have the set to herself. I know as the youngest of 6, she should be able to share. However, she is still working on that quality. We were all pleasantly surprised the boat floats as well. It is a little big for the children's tub. But my husband gave my daughter a bath in my garden tub and it was perfect. It is designed well for that.

It is hard to open and I am sure my 5 yo would have broken or at least cracked it with his trying. I had to interven and show him. At first we thought it might not open at all. The ramp was more decorative than functional as well. We had a hard time balancing it on the edge without it falling off.

All in all, the ark is a big hit in our family. At only $29.99, I thought it was a very good value for the quality and amount of time I could envision my kids getting out of this. I imagine this will be a toy that stays in the family, but could also be donated to my church nursery once my kids outgrow it. Several of the animals have gone to church with us to entertain my youngest while she learns to sit still and listen in the evening service.

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Beyond Five in a Row (BFIAR)

So… I must admit…. I had a preconceived idea that I would not like this curriculum, Beyond Five in a Row -volume 1. I never have used it. I do like a literature approach, however, both the name and the way the program had been described to me think it must be a "light" curriculum. I did not get how do stretch out a book or books and adequately cover all the areas of study?

Well, I was pleasantly surprised to find this to be one of the easier curriculums to review. The books were easy to locate, the suggestions of what else to study and how to go about it was clear. The guide truly guided me as a parent. I did not feel stressed out or pressured to do everything.

The age range was for 8 - 12 years old. That was an issue for me. The kids I teach in that range would not have benefitted from working through this curriculum. I intended to do at least some of it with them. Instead, I modified it to use with my 7 year old son, 5 yo son and 5 yo girl I teach as well as my 4 yo. I did not expect my 4 yo to really follow along because she hasn't shown much interest in the past. However, she LOVED the books we read and really got into this.

I do think 7 - 10 or 11 would be more fitting for this course. However, I would need to do all the activities to really make a judgment about that.

My kids really enjoyed this and so did I. In fact, for the younger ages, I found it to be a lot less stressful than what I had been using. I plan on starting this and using this in depth and completely next year. For now, I only started one book because that is what we had.

The opportunity to review Beyond Five in a Row has changed my mind completely about this program. In fact, if I didn't already have (and love!) the books and materials for my current literature based study, I would probably have used this for my kids up until age 10 or so. Their love of learning approach is very much in line with the way I believe a child will learn best. I also believe if a child loves to read and has the skills in place for reading, then he/she can accomplish just about anything academically!

Best of all, each of the 3 BFIAR volumes are only $24.95. I might even consider breaking up my school year so I can do a unit of these studies interspersed with my other course of study. The Five in a Row website is great, too. I was really impressed by the simplicity. In a day and age when simplicity is lost and where children are being overwhelmed this company offers a relaxed approach that I felt was still complete in its scope. In fact, the guide points out what areas each activity covers.

My only problem with the curriculum came from my own need to have everything prepared and ready to go. I often do not look far enough ahead. However, with only a little bit of planning, I could have done ahead and organized the needed supplies for much of the suggested projects. This might be a problem for missionaries or others abroad who might wish to use this curriculum. There is an option to buy the main books used in the study as a collection.

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Math Mammoth

Another Math Curriculum! I have had the hardest time finding and sticking with a Math curriculum for my kids. I have really enjoyed being a part of the TOS Crew this year as an alternate. It has given me a great chance to review a lot of math!

When given the chance to review Math Mammoth, I decided to request the complete curriculum from the Light Blue series for both 4th grade and 1st. I had my 11 yo take the online placement test. While my son was ahead of 4th grade in some areas, all my skipping around caused him to have some gaps. So, I felt starting him in the 4th would be best. To download both sections is only $29.70. There are SO many options on what to order and prices - depending if you want download, CD or printed copies- that it would be easier for you to go look that up on the site directly. There are also package deals for those who are looking to save even more money.

My review was for the downloadable series. At first I was not sure about this. I like to actually look through and hold in my hand. However, it has turned out to be perfect for me. I do not need to print the answer key off. I do print individual pages, but I also have the flexibility to print off exactly what I need.

Through the TOS crew, I realized my 11 yo son seems to be able to focus better and read better when reading through a blue filter. My hope is blue paper will do the same thing. So, I plan on getting some in the near future. This will help him to not lose the filters he now uses from Head's Up! 

I do not like to waste paper, but if pages need to be redone, I can keep the one done correctly and recycle the others by shredding and using as bedding in my worm bin or as pet bedding for my pet Degus.

I have been very happy with this curriculum. I have taken longer to get this review in than I should, but have also had a chance to do quite a bit of each book with my younger 3 sons (and the kindergarten student I teach as wel)l. I am not usually workbook oriented. This is in part because of the waste of paper and also because it is often easier and quicker for me to go over math verbally. But I have found I really enjoy this worksheets. Only 1 of the 4 children I have used these with has needed to repeat the sheets. For him, I have found, he needs to stand right beside me and we need to talk through several of the problems before he is ready to go write. However, he is actually only just 5 and doesn't have the quickest responses when we review verbally either.

I recommend this curriculum for its cost effectiveness and thoroughness. I also find the website easy to look around. If you do not need to cover the whole year, but just fill in gaps, then you can purchase by subject matter as well. This is what I could have done with my 11 yo. However, he is actually enjoying the pages and even asks to do some at times when they aren't required.

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