I am a Jesus pusher!!! Through the first four chapters of Matthew’s Gospel account, he highlights prophecy seven times. Nearly every paragraph is explained in light of the prophetic pronouncement of the Old Testament. He explains Jesus’ departure from Judea to Galilee, the beginning of a new ministry, as a result of that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet (Matthew 4:14). It is startling that the main verb (fulfilled) is in the subjunctive mood. This suggests the idea of “if” or “maybe.” Matthew is not proposing the uncertainty of prophecy. He is stating the element of choice for those participating within the fulfillment of the prophecy. Herod Antipas who imprisoned John the Baptist had a choice and is responsible for this action. Jesus was not forced to move His ministry to Galilee because of this prophecy. The citizens of Nazareth are responsible for their actions in attempting to kill Jesus (Luke 4:29).
In the circumstances of my life, I have a choice. It is true, God has a plan. Jesus is intimately involved in those plans; in fact, Jesus is the plan. He does not have a plan apart from us; He came to embrace us in the fulfillment of the plan. However, all of this is contingent upon my response to Him. Why would I not want to respond to Him? Everything outside of Him is death; it is in Him I find life. Jesus has a plan; Jesus is the plan; Jesus, the plan, indwells me. I am in the middle of the flowing plan of God in Jesus. I am a Jesus pusher!!!