Jesus is the Saviour

The Father has sent His Son to be the saviour of the world

1 John 4.14

 

A saviour is one who rescues from ruin or death

 

Adam and Eve were the first people God created. Unlike the rest of creation, God formed Adam and Eve a bit like Himself with expressive words, creative ideas, and eternal souls that could be with Him forever. God calls this being made in His image. Adam and Eve lived in a perfect place called the Garden of Eden. They were to take care of the garden.

Having a choice over which tree to pick dinner from was fun. Creating pretty garden paths was a blast. Yet, the best times were when God came to them in the cool of the day. They felt loved, happy, and free. God had only one simple rule, not to eat of one particular tree. Without worry, pain, or sickness, life was comfortable and joyful. The plants were bursting with food and flowers. The animals bounded up the moment Adam called. Life with God in the Garden of Eden was perfect.

One day things changed. An evil creature named Satan slithered into the garden looking like a snake. He tempted Eve with lies about God. He said God was a liar and that God kept good things from Adam and Eve. With just a few words, Satan captured their minds and hearts. They believed the lies of a created snake over the truth of their Creator God.

When people sin, they think or act as if they know better than God. When people sin, they tell God they do not trust Him or believe that He loves them. Adam and Eve sinned. What looked like just a bite of fruit was really a heart against God. As they crushed the fruit with their teeth, sin crushed their relationship with God.

Have you ever worked hard and created something amazing? How would you feel if someone demolished it and then covered it in black paint? God can understand this. All of creation, beautiful stars, mountains, beaches, lions, flowers, and people, are His work. With Adam and Eve’s bite, sin came into God’s creation and began to wreck it.

Sin made things worse, bit by bit. The lions did not come when called. The bushes barely had a flower. Adam and Eve hid and began to feel fear, pain, and shame. Worst of all, they could no longer feel God’s love, joy, and freedom. Adam and Eve needed a Saviour to rescue them from their ruined relationship with God and their ruined life.

God knew the best thing for His people was a close relationship with His care, His comfort, His provision, His joy, and, well, Him. They would never be truly happy, truly themselves, without Him. All people need rescue from sin's ruin. People need a Saviour. God promised Adam and Eve He would send a Saviour that would crush the snake’s head and so crush all sin, too.

Jesus is the promised Saviour, the only one who can take away the sin that stains creation and demolishes our relationship with God. When someone believes Jesus, Jesus takes away their sin, and God the Father will be close to them again. Jesus is the only one who can get sinful people and holy God back together. Jesus is the one who can rescue us from ruin. Jesus is the Saviour.

 

After sinning, Adam and Eve did not go to God, but God came to them.                                                                Genesis 3.8

 

What lies did Satan tell Adam and Eve?

What lies do kids tell themselves about God when they disobey Him?

Advent 2023 part 4

The two archangels approached that mysterious place, the sealed and silent Door. There, the two creatures of light waited. After a long moment the ancient portal began to open. Hurriedly Michael sheathed his sword. This was the one place in all the universe he dare not show force, for just beyond the Door stood creatures that not even archangels dared challenge.

Michael was the first to catch sight of the mighty cherubim. Both archangels trembled at the sight of these guardians of the Door. Ever since the Great Tragedy these fierce beings had stood just outside the Door as protectors of the entrance to the heavenly realm. And as if their presence alone were not enough, before them whirled a sword of fire and wrath.

The creatures turned to face the archangels. The circling, whirling sword slowed, the flame dimmed slightly.

The cherubim stepped back. The Door lay open and unprotected. Michael moved onto the threshold of the Door, his eyes starting straight ahead even a glimpse of the faces of these creatures of terror.

Having passed the cherubim, the two archangels surveyed the scene that lay before them. They could barely make out the favoured planet. A slight groan rose from within the depths of Michael's being. Truly, the skies above the blue-green planet had been turned to brass.

“It was to be expected,” sighed Michael. “It has been so long, and our enemy has not been idle. He has gained full control of the skies above the earth.”

The Door began to move, then came to rest upon the brass shield. Slowly and purposefully Michael unsheathed his mighty sword and stepped out upon the cold barrier.

“Gabriel, as I advance, and advance I will, stand just behind me until you see the green of earth come into view. The Door will follow us. When I have made a way from our realm to earth, the prayers of his people will once more rise unhindered to the ears of God. And you, Gabriel, will once more announce the will of God upon the favoured planet.”

“Make haste, Michael,” replied Gabriel, “for there is one prayer, above all others, that must get through.”

Michael moved farther out upon the floor of brass and with all deliberation cried out, “Hear me, for I am Michael! Damned, doomed enemy. . . come! Face me in battle!”

For a moment he stood motionless, his sword clasped in both hands. Then, slowly, he raised the butt of his sword above his head and rammed the blade hard into the brass.

Once again he raised the sword’s handle, and once again he plunged its point into the hardened shield.

Under the bludgeoning of Michael’s powerful thrusts, the barrier ripped open. Light shot through the darkness. From somewhere below, screams pierced the air.

The creature who bore the name Michael had just declared a one-angel war against all the powers of darkness!

Jesus is the Creator

 For by Him (Jesus) all things were created, in heaven and on earth.   Colossians 1.16

‘Creator' means the one who made everything 

It was completely quiet. Then, a voice like a mighty waterfall filled the emptiness, “Let there be. . .” God’s words started it all. Words created the universe. God needed nothing to make everything. He said, “Let there be” light, darkness, heaven, earth, water, land, plants, animals, and people, and they appeared. And He said they are good.

God created everything except Himself. God is not created, He is the Creator. God has always been and always will be. God is eternal, which means without beginning and without end. This is hard to imagine. But when our imaginations fall short, wonder and amazement for God rush in to fill the place. When you think, “Wow, isn’t God amazing?” you are worshipping Him with awe, wonder mixed with respect that comes up as faith in our hearts. The more you think big thoughts of God, the more you worship Him. The more you worship God, the more you see His invisible presence everywhere.

And guess what? There is another amazing thing for us to know about this Creator God. The Bible tells us in Colossians, chapter one, it says this that all things were created by Jesus, and for Jesus.

Another name for Jesus is CREATOR! Jesus did not begin in Bethlehem as a baby. Jesus has always been, even before Bethlehem. Jesus was at Creation because He created it!

Have you ever yelled in triumph, “First!” in a race? Well, Jesus, along with God the Father and God the Spirit could say, “I was first!” or even, “I have always been!”

The next Bible verse says, “By him all things hold together.” He does not need ropes to tie the grass to the ground or glue to keep the lion’s mane on his head. How does Jesus do that? Only He knows, but isn’t it wonderful? Doesn’t it fill you with awe as you think, “wow, impressive”? By God the Son's power, everything, from the tallest mountains to a grain of sand, holds together every second of every day. Without Creator Jesus, everything in creation would simply fall apart.

God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit (Us) create the universe and people.

Genesis 1.1, 26

What are you thankful that Jesus holds together?

If Jesus holds all things together, what might you think or feel when things seem to be falling apart?

Advent 2023 part 3

 “Michael, I have a mission for you.” The voice of Almighty God, so familiar to the archangel yet so wondrous to hear, sent a gentle trembling through Michael’s spirit.

“The mission concerns a prayer. There is a petition being offered up to me from earth, a prayer of the highest possible import. But the passing of that prayer from earth to my throne has been hindered. Are you aware, Michael, of the hindrance?”

“Yes, Lord, I know,” Michael was about to state what he knew of this ‘hindrance', but his Lord continued.

“A long time has passed since I have spoken to anyone upon the favoured planet. You know that the Door has not been opened for many an age.”

Michael nodded as every sinew in his being grew taut with anticipation.

“Above the planet, the skies have turned to brass. This has happened but once before, as you well know. It was a long time ago that I called on you, as I do now, to open a way through the brass. On that former occasion, against all odds, you opened a way from heaven to earth. But be warned, this time the enemy will resist you with even greater fury.”

The Living God paused and spoke slowly, “The enemy will resist you, as never before”

Michael drew his sword, his eyes glistened with light. “With all eagerness and anticipation I await your word, my Lord!”

“Then go, Michael. Open a pathway from the heavens to the earth. Allow that prayer which is being offered up even now to find its way to my throne. Gabriel will accompany you. Once a way through the brass is opened, Gabriel has a message to deliver to a priest in Jerusalem. But until such time as the barrier is breached, Gabriel will but stand behind you. It is given to you alone to clear a way to earth.”

“Something momentous is about to occur, Lord?” asked Michael.

“It is.”

“And the angelic hosts, may I inform them?”

“They already know.”

“They know? Lord, what is it that we know?”

“That it is the fullness of time.”

Michael raised himself to his full height. The fullness of time, something he had always known about but did not yet understand. Majestically Michael moved his sword above his head and drew near to the presence of his Lord until both he and his sword glistened like white fire. For one brief moment the very glory of God saturated Michael.

Michael stepped back and turned to go. There was a moment's pause. Once more he faced the throne.

“The skies of brass will be violated,” he said matter-of-factly. Then after a moment of reflection he roared, “A way will be opened!”

The Lord gave a most unexpected reply to Michael's cry. “Breach the sky of brass, Michael, and breach it well, for never again will the skies above the earth be allowed to turn to brass. Never again will the enemy be permitted to erect a blockade between heaven and earth.”

Michael trembled from head to foot, and, with sword still raised, turned and cried one glad word.

“Gabriel!”

Intro to Jesus is...

What comes to your mind when you think of God?

What you think about God will change the way you think, the way you act, the way you experience life, and the way you experience eternity. Really, what you think about God is that important.

So, what should we think of when we think about God?

Well, good thing He told us! God tells us about Himself in words that He breathed to faithful, godly men. Those men wrote down each word very carefully. These words from God to people were collected and put in one book, the Bible.

One way God tells us what He is like in the Bible is through giving Himself all sorts of different names, like nicknames. God calls Himself Creator because He wants us to know and think of Him as the One who created everything.

Another way God tells us what He is like in the Bible is by stating it directly, like when He said in Deuteronomy, chapter six, “The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” From that verse, we understand that there is only one God. He is unique and the only God anywhere.

God is sometimes more indirect and uses stories. These require more careful reading to understand correctly. When God’s Son, Jesus, was baptised, God showed that even though there is one God. He is in three persons (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit). For humans, being one and three at the same time is impossible. But, God is God and things are possible for Him that are beyond our understanding.

When things are beyond our understanding no matter how hard we try to understand them, we have two choices. Our first choice is to stop believing God because we cannot squeeze a God bigger than the universe into the way our brain thinks. Our second choice is to believe God in a special way, through faith and with awe.

Awe is respect stirred together with wonder that bubbles up into our hearts as faith. What is the most beautiful thing you have seen in nature? Awe is the feeling you might get looking at nature and feeling just happy to stand there and marvel at it. Faith is being sure of God, trusting Him, even if you cannot see and understand every detail of Him and His plan, yet.

WHAT we think of God is wrapped up in HOW we think of God. This blog will tell a lot of ‘whats' about God through stories and names and verses. This blog has the potential to change ‘how’ you think about God, too. This is not because this blog is amazing, but because it is pointing to the One who is the most amazing.

God is the One who can change what and how you think. If you do think of God with faith and awe, your life will exalt (lift up high) His name and that will change the way you think, the way you act, the way you experience life, and the way you experience eternity. Yes, it is that important.

 

 

If you would like to, see if you can find the three persons of God (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) in the story of Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 33.16-17.

Advent 2023 part 2

 Has the enemy asked for an audience? wondered Michael as his hand moved instinctively to his sword. Not likely. This summons to the throne must have to do with the Door and a coming visitation to earth. 

As Michael drew near to the throne room, his path led him past Recorder, the most ancient of all the angelic host. Recorder had been created an instant before all other angelic beings so that he might witness and then record all events.

“I have been summoned to the throne, Recorder.”

“Yes, I know,” responded the ancient being with a certainty bequeathed only to this most venerable of the angels.

“For what have I been summoned?” asked Michael.

“It have not been given me to know. But that something quite awesome is about to happen is a certainty.”

“Do you know what this momentous thing will be?” Michael asked. 

“Whatever it may be, I know only this. It will change everything.”

The archangel considered Recorder’s reply for a moment, then moved toward the throne room, there to disappear into the outer edges of unapproachable light. In a moment Michael would find himself in the vortex of glory.

Advent 2023 part1

 Michael first became aware that something momentous was about to take place when he felt a strange compulsion to visit the place of the Door. It was not an area of the heavenlies that angels often frequented. 

Why am I here? He mused to himself. Why am I standing at the passageway to the physical realm? It had been ages since the Door had opened into that realm. Not since Malachi the prophet had there been commerce between the two creations. 

Why, the archangel wondered, has it been so very long since the Most High God has spoken face to face with anyone living upon the earthen ball?

At that moment Michael felt a deeper inner stirring. His eyes brightened. He was being called to the throne. But more. Michael knew, by some inexplicable intuition, that the passageway between heaven and earth would open again, and soon!

“The voice of our Lord will be heard again in realms visible,” he whispered as he turned toward the very centre of heavenly places.

What was first felt in Michael’s chest as a quiet sense soon became a strong excitation felt by all the inhabitants of the celestial realm. It would be only a few moments now, and the entire heavenly host would know that an event of immeasurable proportions was about to come to pass. Whatever this phenomenon, it was quite clear that it would be the greatest event since creation itself.

Life of Christ pt3 Matthew 1.1-17, Luke 3.23-38

 It’s essential for us to begin our journey into the life of Jesus Christ by understanding His eternal pre-existence as God. But we must also come to appreciate Jesus’ humanity. For this reason, both Matthew and Luke record the human genealogy of Jesus. Matthew traces Jesus’ human ancestry beginning with Abraham, the Father of Faith, and working his way forward from Abraham through King David and eventually to Mary and Joseph. It was through Mary that Jesus was born. Jesus, therefore, is truly human with a human genealogy. Luke likewise presents the genealogy of Jesus but begins with Joseph and works backward through time to King David, Abraham, and eventually the first human being, Adam. Once again, we’re impressed with the fact that Jesus has a human lineage. He is God and He became a man. Careful students of the Bible will observe that the two genealogies in Matthew and Luke are quite different. This is no cause for concern. We all have two distinct genealogies, one through our father and one through our mother. Matthew may indeed be presenting the genealogy of Joseph, Jesus’ adoptive and legal human father. Luke, on the other hand, may be presenting Mary’s genealogy. The important point to bear in mind is the fact that Jesus, who is eternally God, took on a truly human nature at a particular point in human history. Jesus is now God and man in one. 

Life of Christ pt2 John 1.1-14

 Rather than start with a description of his historical research like Luke, John begins his Gospel by describing the pre-existence and incarnation of Jesus Christ. John pulls back the curtain of eternity and reveals to us the fact that Jesus has always existed. He is God. John describes the pre-incarnate Jesus as “the Word,” the absolute and perfect expression of deity. John tells us that “the Word,” Jesus, was “with God.” Jesus was with God the Father long before He entered into His human existence. This means that Jesus had an eternal, face to face relationship with God the Father. Furthermore, John declares that “the Word,” Jesus, was and is Himself “God.” Here we have an indication of the triune nature of God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus was with God, and He is God. He was not created but created all things. He possesses life in and of Himself, and He has given us life. However, even though Jesus created us, we have rejected Him. We’ve turned away from God through sin. Therefore, God enacted His eternal plan of rescuing us from our sin. As the second member of the mysterious, triune Godhead, Jesus became a human being. He who is truly God became truly human. This act of Jesus Christ in becoming human is called the incarnation. Jesus took on a human nature, minus human sin, and lived among us. He did so in order to die for our sins and restore us to eternal life. Jesus opened the way for us to return to a relationship with God. But we, as John tells us in his magnificent prologue to the fourth Gospel, must receive Jesus, believing that He is truly God, that He truly died for our sins, and that we can truly and eternally be forgiven and restored to a relationship with Him. This is, indeed, good news, very good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ! 

The life of Christ. Intro and Luke 1.1-4

 God entered the world, this is the central truth of the life of Jesus Christ. God entered the world in the person of Jesus. Jesus came from heaven and made His entrance into this world in a lowly stable. God became a man in order to bring men and women to God. Our study of the life of Jesus Christ begins naturally with His birth and childhood, but it really begins in eternity past, because Jesus is more than just a man. He is God in the flesh, deity incarnated.

The incarnation of Jesus Christ was that historical event in which God took on a human nature. God and man were forever joined in one person, Jesus Christ.

Luke 1.1-4

Of the four Gospel writers, Luke especially wanted to establish the historical nature of Jesus' life. Therefore, Luke began his account by assuring his readers that he himself had “carefully investigated” everything he wrote about. He gathered his information about Jesus' life from a variety of eyewitness reports and presented these accounts in an orderly fashion. Luke was a meticulous historian, so we can be sure that what he wrote is accurate. In fact, all four Gospels provide inspired, accurate accounts of the life of Jesus Christ.

The Church as a Priesthood

The church is a gathering of individual Christians into a special community of faith. Each and every believer is a part of Christ's church, and every believer has the distinct privilege of going directly to God through Jesus Christ. The fact that we can each approach God directly, rather than through some human go between, is called the doctrine of the priesthood of the believer.

In Old Testament times, the nation of Israel had a high priest who represented the nation before God. In addition, there were many priests who carried out the work of representing individuals to God through the Temple rituals. That ancient priesthood was a high privilege and was limited to certain individuals.

In the New Testament we discover that God now looks at every believer in Jesus Christ as a priest. First Peter 2.5 says that God has made us to be “a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.” Then in verse 9 Peter writes, “But you are a chosen people,  a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” When we accept Jesus Christ into our lives, we immediately become priests in God’s sight.

Like the priests of ancient times, we, as believer-priests,can enter into the very presence of God. We can offer sacrifices, not animal sacrifices, but sacrifices of time, talent, resources, and praise. Romans 12.1 says to “offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship.” In addition to offering sacrifices, we can intercede for others through prayer. We have the distinct privilege of access to Almighty God! Hebrews 4.16 invites us to take advantage of our priestly privilege, saying, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” As believer-priests, we can enter God’s presence at any moment through prayer.

As individuals priests, together we from a single priesthood called the church. We serve under our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ. Hebrews 4.14-15 tells us, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet was without sin.” Jesus is pure and holy. He resisted every temptation, offered Himself as the sacrifice for our sins, and grants us access to the Father in heaven. As priests serving under Jesus Christ, we have the amazing privilege of approaching God directly and confidently. As a priesthood, the church of Jesus Christ, we have the opportunity of representing God to the world around us. What a privilege it is to be a part of the church of Jesus Christ.

The Church as a Grapevine

In John 15.5 Jesus says, “I am the vine, you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit, apart from me you can do nothing.” With this statement, Jesus portrays the church as a grapevine with each branch, each Christian, intimately dependent on Him.

The goal of any vineyard owner is to produce as much quality fruit as possible. In order to produce any fruit, the branches must not be severed from the vine. And in order to produce a bountiful harvest, each branch needs to be carefully pruned.

Jesus used this image of the grapevine to teach us how important it is for us to stay in close fellowship with Him. As Christians, we far too easily drift away from Christ in our day to day routines. We rush off to school or work without taking time to read from God’s Word. We hurry through our prayers or, even worse, fail to pray altogether. We rarely take time to reflect on Jesus and our relationship with Him. But without these connecting points in our lives, we’ll never be able to produce quality spiritual fruit. Jesus put it this way in John 15.4. “Abide in me, and I will abide in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself, it must abide in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you abide in me.” Abiding in Jesus means that we need to have unhurried, lingering fellowship with Him. We need to meditate on His Word and pray for His direction. We need to acknowledge day by day and moment by moment our dependence on Jesus.

But Jesus isn’t simply interested in our fellowship with Him. He wants us to bear fruit, not some fruit, but much fruit. For this reason Jesus allows us to go through times of pruning. God the Father, as the vinedresser, lovingly cuts away those things in our lives that prohibit spiritual fruit. In John 15.2 Jesus says, “He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” God wants His people, His church, to be spiritually productive in this world. At times we go through trials, the pruning work of God in our lives, so that we can become even more fruitful.

As the vine, Jesus Christ is the source of our life, our nourishment, and our support. When we put our faith in Him,  He lifts us up, feeds our hearts, and helps us to have a truly fruitful life. How close are you to Jesus Christ? One way to measure the fruit in your life is to reflect on Galatians 5.22-23. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.” Jesus wants to produce this kind of fruit in your life and in the church. So, keep connected to the vine. Keep abiding in Christ.

The Church as a Flock

 Sheep and their shepherds were common sights in ancient Bible lands. Even today, you can see shepherds in the fields of Israel. No wonder the image of a flock of sheep became a picture of the church.

In the tenth chapter of John's Gospel, Jesus describes His people as sheep, humble creatures in need of a loving, faithful shepherd. In verse 14 Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd, I know my sheep and my sheep know me.” In verse 16, He says “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”

Through His death on the cross, as the spotless Lamb of God, Jesus made it possible for us to enter into His flock by faith. In fact, Jesus invites us to listen to His voice and follow Him. However, like sheep we tend to wander from the protective fold of our shepherd. Isaiah 53.6 reminds us, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Our sinful human nature prompts us to launch out on our own, to become distant from our shepherd, and to try to be independent from the flock. But Jesus invites us back to His protective, loving care. When we put our faith in Jesus, He guides us into the fellowship of other sheep. He unites us as a flock, His church.

Within the church, Jesus Christ has appointed certain individuals to serve as shepherds for His flock. Another word for shepherd is ‘pastor’. Pastors have been called by God to protect and lead the church. In Acts 20.28, Paul told pastors, ”Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.” Pastors have a high calling, a humble position, and a huge responsibility as shepherds of Christ’s church.

Ultimately, however, Jesus Christ Himself is the Shepherd of the church. In John 10.11, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Jesus gave His life on the cross in order to save us from the deadliest enemy, death itself. Hebrews 13.20 describes the resurrected Jesus as “that great Shepherd of the sheep.” First Peter 5.4 tells us, “And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.” Jesus is the good Shepherd, the great Shepherd, and the chief Shepherd. He died for the flock. He rose from the dead for the sake of the flock. He rewards His flock with eternal glory. The church is a flock, humble sheep under the care of the most loving Shepherd. With the writer of Psalm 23.1, we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my shepherd.”

The Church as a Family

 Relationships are essential for a healthy church. Christians need to see themselves as living in a vital relationship with one another and in a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ. Because relationships are so important, the New Testament sometimes describes the church as a spiritual family.

Galatians 6.10 says, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers,” or “household of faith.” Through the new birth we’ve entered a new family, the family of God, the church. We’re spiritually related to every other believer, past, present, and future. We’re part of an amazing family tree! Some of our family members have endured great hardship for the sake of Jesus Christ. They’ve been persecuted, tortured, and even killed just for being a part of the family. Others, by God’s grace, have accomplished great things in the fields of science, medicine, education, literature, politics, and business. We have an amazing family.

The New Testament frequently describes Christians as brothers and sisters. For example, Hebrews 13.1 says, “Keep on loving each other as brothers.” First Peter 3.8 tells us, “Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another, be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble.” First Timothy 5.1-2 says, “Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.” These references remind us that we must treat our brothers and sisters with love, respect, and generosity. We’re to get along with them in unity and humility.

In addition to nurturing proper attitudes toward our church family, we’re to act as responsible family members. In 1 Timothy 3.15-16, Paul says that he expects us to “know how people ought to conduct themselves in God’s household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.” We’re responsible to encourage one another, support one another, serve one another, and love one another.

So how does Jesus Christ fit into this image of the church as a family? Jesus described Himself as our Brother. In Mark 3.35 He says, “Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” Hebrews 2.11 reinforces this idea, saying, “Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.” Jesus is our Brother, made like us through the incarnation and related to us through our new birth. Through faith in Jesus Christ we become a part of God’s spiritual family, the church. Isn’t it great to be a part of the family of God!

The Church as a Bride

 Wedding bells are a delight to every young bride. Her day at last has arrived! The guests are seated. The bridesmaids are lined up in their beautiful dresses. The groom and his groomsmen stand ready for the ceremony. The flowers, the photographer, the minister, everything is in place. The bride, beaming and beautiful in her wedding gown, is escorted up the aisle to join in lifelong union with her beloved. It’s a day that will last forever in her heart.

The image of a bride, prepared for her wedding day, provides us with one of the most beautiful snapshots of the church. Revelation 19.7-8 says, “Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” And then verse 8 goes on to explain, “Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.” According to the New Testament, all true believers in Jesus Christ are saints, that is, people who have been set apart as holy in God’s sight through the gracious sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. As saints, we have been spiritually clothed in pure, white, fine linen. In other words, our hearts and lives have been purified. Our sins have been washed away. We appear spotless in the eyes of God. Like a bride in her radiant white wedding gown, we enter into the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ as pure, holy, and beautiful in His sight. We, the church, are the bride of Christ.

As the bride of Jesus Christ, we want to live up to our privileged relationship. We want to be pure in our practical living, just as we’ve been made pure and holy in our position in Christ. Paul put it this way in 2 Corinthians 11.2. “I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.” When we enter into the presence of Jesus Christ, we want to present Him with a wedding gift, a life of purity and faithfulness. This is the goal of every true believer. This is likewise the goal of each and every local church.

Isn’t it great to know that we have someone who loves us?  Because we are His bride, Jesus Christ loves us unconditionally. He demonstrated that love for us by dying for our sins on the cross. Ephesians 5.25-27 says, “Husbands love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” Jesus loves us. He died for us. He purifies us. And one day He’s coming back to back to take us into His loving presence forever. We are the bride of Jesus Christ. He’s our loving groom and our gracious Saviour. Let the wedding bells ring!

The Church as a Building

 When you hear the word ‘church', what’s the first image that comes to your mind? It is a gray stone building with stained glass windows and a tall, pointed steeple? Of course, a church is not a building. The church is people. But you’ll find it interesting to know that the New Testament sometimes describes the church as a building, a holy temple that brings glory to the Lord Jesus Christ.

For example, Ephesians 2.21-22 says that in Christ “the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.” In 1 Peter 2.5 we read, “You also, like living stones, are being built in spiritual house.” Each and every Christian is a part of the church, a building block in a great and glorious temple for God. We are ‘living stones'. As such, Jesus Christ is carefully shaping us to fit neatly into His temple. With His loving hands He's chiselling off the rough places in our lives. As a master craftsman, Jesus places us in strategic relationship with the rest of His people in such a way that we form interlocking connections with one another. His work of spiritual construction guarantees that the church will have incredible, enduring strength. In Matthew 16.18 Jesus told His disciples, “I will build my church, and the gates of Hell will not overcome it.” As a solid edifice, built stone by stone by the magnificent skill of Jesus Christ, the church forms an unconquerable fortress. You and I, as living stones, are a part of that structure. Through faith in Jesus Christ, our lives add to the strength and beauty of the church. That’s why it’s so important that we live holy lives day in and day out. We’re part of a holy temple, a spiritual house, the church.

There’s really only one reason that the church has such enduring strength. Jesus Christ is our strength. We’ve already seen that Jesus is building His church. But the New Testament also tells us that Jesus is the very foundation of the church. Any building that’s going to withstand the forces of time and nature needs to have a solid foundation. We, as living stones within the church, have Jesus Christ as our foundation. First Corinthians 3.11 says, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Our strength rests in our relationship with Jesus. He is unshakable! When you think that the difficulties in your life are going to overwhelm you, remember that Jesus is your foundation. He’ll see you through any storm. He’ll sustain you through any earthquake that shakes your life.

So the church consists of people, not bricks and boards and shingles. But like a building, the church has a solid foundation and a skilful master builder, Jesus Christ.

The Church as a Body

We’ve all heard someone say, “I don’t need the church. I can be just as good a Christian at home.” Worse yet, maybe you’ve found yourself thinking this from time to time. While it’s true that we can pray at home, study the Scriptures at home, and worship God at home, there are aspects of our Christian life that must take place in the context of Christians gathered together in community. We need the church, and the church needs us.

The Bible describes the church as a ‘body’. The human body needs every member, every part, every organ, to work effectively. The apostle Paul put it this way in 1 Corinthians 12.12. “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts, and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.” Christians form a body. We’re spiritually connected with one another and with Jesus Christ.

Because the church is like our physical bodies, we should expect that there will be diversity within the body. Think about it. Our physical bodies consist of dozens and dozens of different parts. We have hands, feet, eyes, ears, a heart, a  tongue, a skeletal structure, the list goes on and on. Each part plays an essential role in the body.

Likewise, the church is a body of diverse people. God delights in racial diversity in the church. He’s called people from every tongue and tribe and nation to be a part of His church. God delights in age diversity. Children and teens should be equally at home in the church with young adults, middle agers, and seniors. A church with a diversity of ages is balanced and vibrant. God delights in the diversity of personalities in the church. Some of God’s people are quiet and analytical. Some are loud and energetic. Others are emotional, or intellectual, or relational, or even practical. God also delights in the diversity of gifts, spiritual abilities, in the church. Some teach, some serve, some lead, some organise, some show mercy, some have a special knack for sharing their faith or giving generously of their resources. All are valuable to God.

There’s one more thing we need to understand about the church as a body. The body needs a head. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is that Head. Ephesians 4.15-16 says, “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” Jesus is our Head. By His grace He joins us together, holds us together, and directs our steps.

Every church is responsible for looking to Jesus for its direction. Every Christian is responsible for honouring Jesus in his or her life. In order to honour Him, we must honour His body, the church. We need Jesus and, according to Jesus, we need each other.

Adoption

 We all know families who’ve adopted a child into their homes. I admire these families. We have adoptive families in our church, and they, along with their adopted children, bring a richness to the body of Christ. Each has a special story to tell. Adoption is a wonderful, voluntary, sacrificial act of acceptance and love.

The Bible tells us that everyone who’s accepted Jesus Christ as Saviour has been adopted into the family of God. We’ve experienced spiritual adoption. Ephesians 1.5 tells us that we’ve been “adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.” It pleases God to make us a part of His family. He wants us to experience His love and acceptance.

But spiritual adoption has more to it than simply being accepted by God. It also implies growth toward spiritual maturity. In ancient times a wealthy Roman family could adopt an adult son, granting that individual all the rights and freedoms that that family possessed. Adoption, in that setting, referred to recognising maturity and bestowing the rights of maturity on a member of the family. We actually become a part of God’s family through the new birth. Through adoption we’re granted the rights and privileges of mature members of that family.

One special privilege that we receive through adoption is the right to call God our Father. In fact, we can speak to Him openly, in very intimate terms. In Romans 8.15 we read, “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” Abba was an intimate term of affection that a child would use to refer to his or her own father. Because we are children of God by faith in Jesus Christ, we can call God our Father. We can pray to Him and be confident that He hears and answers our prayers.

Another privilege we receive through spiritual adoption into God’s family is the blessing of participating in a spiritual inheritance with Jesus Christ in heaven. Galatians 4.6-7 says, “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out ‘Abba Father’. So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.” We inherit the riches of heaven because we’ve been adopted into God’s family. We become “heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” according to Romans 8.17. Because of our spiritual adoption, we can look forward to a day when we’ll share in the joys of Jesus in heaven.

Think about it. You can be a member of God’s family. You can be adopted by the Creator of the universe. You can become an heir to all that heaven has to offer. You need simply put your faith in Jesus Christ. Why not join God’s family today? Then you can begin to grow into spiritual maturity as an adopted child of God.

Reconciliation

Some of our greatest joys as well as some of our greatest struggles in life from our relationships with others. A happy marriage is a priceless treasure. Harmony in the home is golden. Quality friendships sharpen our lives. But when a marriage hits hard times, relational problems become all-consuming. When our kids get into serious trouble or grow rebellious in their attitudes, harmony in the home becomes a distant memory. When friendships falter, loneliness and isolation prevail. Healthy relationships bring us immeasurable joy, but broken relationships can scar us for life.

God wants to have a relationship with you. He wants to be your friend, your Father, your husband. The Bible uses these and other relational terms to describe God’s connection with His people. When we’re right with God, that spiritual relationship is unparalleled. Unfortunately, our sins have ruined our relationship with God. Instead of being His friend, we’re His enemy. We’re like rebellious children, or an unfaithful wife. Even if we wanted to return to God, we’ve built an immovable wall between Him and us. We need help.

When relationships fail, we try to restore them through a process called ‘reconciliation’. A husband and wife who’ve mistreated each other need to be reconciled, brought back into an accepting and loving relationship. In the same way, we need to be reconciled to God. We need to be restored to a harmonious, loving relationship with Him. In 2 Corinthians 5.20, Paul wrote, “We implore you on Christ’s behalf. Be reconciled to God.” Our relationship with God was ruined by sin. We actually act as enemies of God when we sin against Him. But God doesn’t want us to be His enemy. He wants us to be His friend. So He urges us to be reconciled to Him.

But how can we be reconciled to God? As with other aspects of our salvation, we can’t earn reconciliation. We can’t force our way into God’s favour by trying to do lots of good things.  No, we need to depend totally on God’s grace which He offers us through Jesus Christ. It’s only through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the cross that we can be reconciled to God. Romans 5.10 tells us, “For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” Reconciliation with God is possible only through faith in Jesus Christ. Have you put your faith in Jesus Christ? Why not ask Him into your heart today?

Once we’ve been reconciled to God through faith in Jesus Christ, we’ll find it much easier to be reconciled to other people. Broken relationships are hard to mend, but with Jesus Christ all things are possible.

Pastor's notes on haggai

Here are the headings for Haggai 1:1-2:

Keep with the programme.

1. The programme is on schedule. v1

    - notice the dates in Haggai and Ezra >> 

       '70 years' from exile to restoration.

2. The LORD has kept with the programme. v1

    - notice the 'covenant' language/words/names

3. 'These people' are NOT with the programme. v2

    - not 'my people', and not working on the temple

4. The antidote to their apathy is the word of God. v1-2

    - the word of the  LORD through the prophet.

Haggai 1:3-15

It's time to look after No 1!

('No 1' being the LORD and HIS interests, not ours!)

Hear the LORD's wake up call - 

- is it a time to be making ourselves comfortable?  v3-4

  No! cos the work of building the temple for God to dwell among          them, and to prepare the stage for the Messiah to come, was not        complete.

- think carefully about our experience of life. v5-7, 9-11

  the LORD used covenant sanctions to wake them up. 

- think carefully about what needs to be done.  v8

  a reminder to do what they already knew they needed to do!

- seeing our error, have a change of heart. v12

  aware of the sanctions and where they would ultimately lead - to        ruin, they obeyed the word in the fear of the LORD.

- expect the LORD's immediate encouragement. v13-15

  no sooner did they turn to the LORD than the LORD reassured them    of his presence with them and stirred them up to the work he had      prepared in advance for them to do.

Haggai 2:1-9

Here are the headings from Sunday:

Motivation to keep building the place God will dwell with his people.

- Disheartened by how things look now. v1-3

- Keep building because the LORD Almighty:

         - is with you and among you always; v4-5

         - is making something more glorious than anything before. v6

Haggai 2:10-19

Recap: headings from Sunday

Until God is at the centre of our life, it will be endlessly frustrating.

- Consider how frustrating life is when God is not central. v10-17

       - for them then (OT)

       - for us now (NT)

- Consider how good life will be when God is central. v18-19

       - for them then (OT)

       - for us now (NT)

Are there any verses that need clarifying?

v10-14.   v10-13 is a device Haggai uses to make the point that up til the time the people started work on the temple 'for real' (i.e. cos their hearts had returned to God) all that the did and offered at the temple was defiled i.e of no value and unacceptable to God.

v15-17. The people are to give careful thought to their circumstances before they started work on the temple 'for real', to see that God had been striking them with covenant sanctions.

v18-19. But now that had changed, and from the day they had returned to him (in their hearts) - 'from this day on I will bless you'. At that time of year the crops would not have grown nor the trees be in fruit, but come the harvest they will see God's blessing.

 Is the LORD and his work central and the priority in our lives?

- to hear his strong encouragement to those for whom the LORD and his building work are central and priority: 'I am with you' and 'I will fill this house with glory...greater than the glory of the former house' and 'In this place I will grant peace' and 'From this day on I will bless you'.

- to know that God's Servant King has come (Jesus the descendant of Zerubbabel and...David!), that shortly he will return, and his kingdom alone will continue in place of all the kingdoms of the world, and that we who have entered his kingdom now by faith will live there with him forever. 

Regeneration

 One of the many great things that happens to us when we receive Jesus Christ as our Saviour is that we’re granted lasting spiritual life. The Bible tells us that, without Jesus in our lives, we’re spiritually dead. In John 5.24 Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned, he has crossed over from death to life.” As odd as it sounds, we begin life spiritually dead. But when we invite Jesus into our hearts we become spiritually alive. This act of God by which He grants us spiritual life is called ‘regeneration’.

Regeneration is more commonly known as being born again, or experiencing a spiritual rebirth. Jesus once told a curious man named Nicodemus that, in order to get into heaven, he would have to be spiritually reborn. John 3.3 records Jesus' conversation, saying, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” Regeneration is essential if we’re going to go to heaven. We must be born again. We must have spiritual life.

But how do we get that spiritual life? How does regeneration work? To begin with, we know that there’s nothing we can contribute to regeneration. We were born spiritually dead, remember? Being spiritually dead, we can’t perform any spiritual resuscitation. Regeneration must be an act of God, a gift that He gives us. After all, only God can create life, including spiritual life. Paul put it this way in Ephesians 2.4-5. “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions, it is by grace you have been saved.” So regeneration, being made spiritually alive, is an act of God prompted by His grace.

Even so, not everyone receive this gift of spiritual life. Regeneration is linked with our faith response to the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. John 1.12-13 says, “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.” We’re born again when we receive Jesus Christ. When we believe in Him, that is, when we put our faith in Him, He grants us new, eternal, spiritual life through an act of regeneration. We become alive for the first time in our lives! Our new life is far better than anything we could have experienced apart from Jesus Christ. That’s why Jesus said, in John 10.10, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Let me invite you to receive Jesus Christ by faith right now. Then you, too, can have this new, lasting, abundant spiritual life.

Glorification

For Christians, there’s much more to life than what this present world has to offer. Don’t get me wrong. God has given us plenty of good things to enjoy here and now. While this world has its trials, it also has some amazing blessings.

Even so, we as Christians always keep one eye on heaven. We know that the best is yet to come. We look forward to a future transformation of our minds, hearts, and bodies that the Bible refers to as ‘glorification’. Glorification means that we will one day experience totally all the benefits we now have in Jesus Christ positionally.

Let me put it this way. Glorification means that one day we’re going to have a physical transformation. Our bodies are going to be reconfigured to enjoy eternity. We’ll be free from physical suffering and pain. For those whose lives have been characterised by illnesses, limitations, and hardship the doctrine of glorification is a beacon of hope. Paul, in Romans 8.18, said, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Think about it, no more pain, no more suffering, no more diseases or illnesses or surgeries or chemo treatments.  Our bodies will be glorified, transformed to be like the body of our resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. In Philippians 3.21, Paul says that Jesus Christ “will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.” We’ll be free from suffering, free to enjoy heaven for all eternity.

But glorification doesn’t refer only to the body. It refers to a spiritual transformation as well. In heaven our bodies will be free from suffering, and in heaven our spirits will be free from sin. First John 3.2 tells us, “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” Our minds can’t begin to grasp the splendour of heaven or of our future glorified state. Right now our hearts are saturated with sin. We can barely imagine being free from sinful thoughts, motives, or attitudes. But in heaven we’ll be like Jesus. We’ll be free from the grip of sin, free from emotional scars that leave a trial of sorrow in our lives, free from the persistent pestering of our sinful natures. We’ll be able to entertain pure thoughts. We’ll be able to enjoy pure relationships. We’ll be transformed to live in holiness forever.

Have you received Jesus Christ as your Saviour? If you have, God’s Word assures you that you will one day be glorified. Why not invite Jesus into your heart right now? Then, let’s enjoy the life God’s given us here on earth, and let’s look forward to the life God’s promised us in heaven.

Sanctification

 If you’re the parent of an energetic preschooler, you know how much effort it takes to keep that little guy clean. You may start him out with a daily bath, but then throughout the day you have to wipe the food, dirt, goo, and other sticky stuff from his face, his hands, his clothes, and everything he touches. An initial bath is necessary, but there’s also an ongoing need for cleansing. That’s what takes place at the spiritual level as well. We call it ‘sanctification'. At the moment you invited Jesus into your heart you were sanctified. But you also need to be sanctified over and over again as a result of your daily sins. Let’s think about these two aspects of sanctification for a moment.

To be sanctified means to be set apart by God as holy in His sight. It’s related to the term ‘saint’, a holy person, a person who's been set apart from sin to live for God. By the way, the New Testament refers to all true believers as saints in this sense. Through faith in Jesus Christ, we’re sanctified, made into saints in God’s book.

When you asked Jesus to be your Saviour, you were instantly sanctified. Your position of acceptance by God was established. The apostle Paul, having described some of the sinful lifestyles of the people of his day, wrote in 1 Corinthians 6.11, “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” This refers to a past, settled event in the life of the Christian. Have you accepted Jesus as your Saviour? Then you have been positionally sanctified, set apart by God from your sinful lifestyle to a new way of life in Christ.

But here’s the rub. We don’t always act so holy. Even as Christians, we fail to measure up to God’s holy standard in the way we live our lives. So, having received our initial cleansing, we need to be sanctified daily, hourly, even moment by moment. This progressive aspect of sanctification means we, by God’s grace, need to live in growing obedience to His holy standard. First Peter 1.15 says, “But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do.” In other words, act in accordance with your position. Live a holy lifestyle because you’re a holy person in God’s eyes.

But how can we live holy lives? Only by the power of God at work in us. First Thessalonians 5.23 says, “May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.” When we accepted Jesus, we entered immediately into a sanctified position with God. Now, we need to live up to that position, setting ourselves apart from sin daily to live in harmony with God’s holiness.

Invite Jesus into your heart today, and then begin living for Him.

Justification

 Wouldn’t it be great if we could be sure that we’re right with God? Let’s face it. Every one of us has doubts about our standing with God. Can God look at us with favour, or are we hopelessly trapped in a lifelong process of trying to please and appease a holy God? Thankfully, God’s Word assures us that we can be right with God, right here, right now, right with God.

First of all, we need to understand that we can do nothing to contribute to a right standing in God’s sight. We have to depend on God to do that for us. Because we’re sinners both by birth and by choice, we need God to step in and change our situation. We need Him to declare us right in His sight. The idea that God would declare us right according to His holy standard is called ‘justification'. Only God can declare us right in His sight, legally and eternally righteous. Romans 8.33 says, “It is God who justifies.”

Justification is the opposite of condemnation. In our sin, we’re objects of God’s condemning judgment. But in Christ, we move from a position of condemnation to a position of justification. In Romans 5.16 we read, “The gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin. The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification.” In other words, Adam’s one sin has passed down through the generations to every one of us, and we’re born into a position of judgment. But Jesus Christ, through His death on the cross, paid for every sin. Therefore, He offers us the free gift of justification, God’s declaration of our forgiveness and righteousness in His sight.

So, we might ask, what do we have to do get this gift of justification? The point is, it’s a gift. We can’t earn gifts. We can only receive them. Many people have mistakenly thought that they could in some way earn God’s favour. They’ve tried to ‘buy’ God’s grace by obeying a set of laws or performing acts of kindness to others. While these are good things, they won’t make us right in God’s eyes. No, we can receive the gift of justification only through faith in Jesus Christ. We have to believe that He is God, that He died in our place, and that He can really save us. The apostle Paul, in Galatians 2.16, said that we are not “justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ”. Later, in verse 21, he said, “If righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!” But Jesus Christ didn’t die in vain. He died for us. We can’t be declared right before God on our own merit. We need Jesus. Do you have Jesus? If so, you’ve been declared right with God. You’ve been justified by Him. If you don’t have Jesus, why not invite Him into your heart right now. Then you, too, can be confident that you’re right here, right now, right with God.

Substitution

 When a player is injured on the football field or the basketball court, the coach or manager sends in a substitute, a healthy player who can take the place of the injured teammate. In the spiritual realm we need a substitute. We’ve been injured by sin, unable to participate in spiritual life with God. Even worse, our sin demands death, separation from God for all eternity. Thankfully, Jesus Christ came into this world to be our substitute. He took our place by dying on the cross.

The concept of ‘substitution' is foundation to the Christian faith. Because of the substitution art atonement of Jesus Christ we can experience the complete forgiveness of our sins.

Substitution first appears in the Old Testament sacrificial system. According to the ceremonial laws, if a man sinned he was to find an unblemished goat for a sin offering. Leviticus 4.27 says, “He is to lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place of the burnt offering.” Laying hands on the animal symbolised a transfer of sin and guilt to the sacrificial animal. After the animal was slaughtered, a priest was to apply its blood to the altar. Leviticus 4.35 goes on to say, “In this way the priest will make atonement for him for the sin he has committed, and he will be forgiven.” The animal served as a substitute for the man's sins.

We don’t have to sacrifice animals on an altar today in order to receive forgiveness. God has provided a better way. His Son, Jesus Christ, became our perfect substitute for sin. Isaiah 53.5-6 says, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities, the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” Jesus took our punishment by dying in our place.

The New Testament underscores the doctrine of Christ’s substitution atonement. It reminds us that Jesus Christ died ‘for’ us, Jesus, in John 10.11, said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” Romans 5.8 tells us, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” First Peter 3.18 says, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” Clearly, Jesus became our substitute. Just try to imagine how horrible it would have been if you had been crucified on that cross. Instead, Jesus died for you.

Because Jesus died in your place, you can experience His forgiveness and receive eternal life. Don’t miss out on the greatest gift you’ll ever receive. Invite Jesus into your heart, and thank Him for being your substitute.

Propitiation

Human relationships are fragile. Husband and wives sometimes find themselves at odds with each other, often over trivial issues. Friendships can become strained because of insensitive words or actions. When we experience a seemingly irreparable rift in a relationship, we welcome the intercession of an outside party, a counsellor, a family member, or another friend, who can help bring us back into harmony.

Our relationship with God is much like a broken relationship with a loved one. God loves us, but because we sinned against Him our relationship is severed. Isaiah 59.2 says, “Your iniquities have separated you from your God, your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.” Not only is our relationship with God broken due to sin, but according to Roman 5.10 we find ourselves in the position of being ‘God’s enemies.” Therefore, we are objects of God’s wrath, His righteous anger and judgment. If only someone could remove God’s anger and restore us to a healthy relationship with Him. In fact, that someone is Jesus Christ.

By His death on the cross Jesus removed the barrier that stood between us and God. He perfectly satisfied God’s holy justice. To use a theological term, Jesus ‘propitiated' God. Propitiation refers to the removal of God’s righteous wrath caused by our sins. It’s as if God had to turn His back on us when we sinned, but now can turn toward us with outstretched arms again. Luke 18.13 records one of Jesus’ parables in which a penitent tax collector cried out, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” The word ‘mercy’ reflects the term for ‘propitiation’. That poor man was calling out to God for mercy. He wanted God to receive him, sinner that he was, with outstretched arms.

God the Father can indeed turn toward us in mercy because Jesus Christ removed our sins. He is our propitiation, also translated as our atoning sacrifice. First John 2.2 tells us, “He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,” and 1 John 4.10 goes on to say, “This is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” These verses remind us that even though we were objects of God’s righteous anger, we never stopped being objects of His love. Because He loves us, He sent Jesus to remove the barrier that was between us. He has been propitiated. He is satisfied with Jesus’ death. Furthermore, when we have Jesus in our lives, God the Father is satisfied with us.

Do you have Jesus in your life? He died to bring you back into fellowship with God. Why not accept Him by faith today? You’ll find that God awaits you with outstretched arms!

Redemption

 I once read a story about a little boy who built a toy boat. He drew up the plans, cut out the wood, assembled the craft, and painted it so that it was a beautiful little vessel. The boy then tied a string to the boat and launched it into the nearby stream. Unfortunately, the string broke and the current took the little boat away. The boy, of course, was heartbroken. A few days later that same little boy went into a toy shop and, much to his surprise, he saw his boat on a shelf with a price tag on it. The boy eagerly paid the price to retrieve his precious boat. The boat was, in a way, twice his, once by creation and once by purchase. 

This story illustrates the biblical concept of ‘redemption.’ We belong to God by creation. He made us. Yet our sins have carried us far away from Him. In order to bring us back into His fellowship, God paid a price. That price was the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. First Peter 1.18-19 says, “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ.” 

Redemption actually involves two distinct ideas. One aspect of redemption is that of making a purchase. The New Testament uses a word that was common in ancient Rome for purchasing and releasing a slave. For example, 1 Corinthians 7.23 tells us, “You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.” Human slavery is, of course, an abominable practice. Even more tragic is our slavery to sin. But Jesus Christ paid the price to free us from the power of sin and death. He redeemed us. 

Another aspect of our redemption has to do with the idea of paying a ransom. Sin holds us hostage. But Jesus Christ paid the ransom price so that we could be restored to fellowship with God. First Timothy 2.5-6 says, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men.” God’s divine justice was satisfied by Jesus’ death on the cross. Jesus ransomed us from our captivity to sin. 

Of course, we enter into the benefits of Jesus’ redeeming work only when we receive Jesus Christ into our hearts by faith. Romans 3.22-24 puts faith and redemption together, saying, “This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Have you entered into the blessing of Christ’s redemption? He offers you freedom and forgiveness. Why not invite Jesus into your life today?

Atonement

 Imagine that you’re throwing a big dinner party. Minutes before the guests begin to arrive, you accidentally spill a glass of grape juice on your beautiful white carpet. There’s no time to remove the stain. You’ll have to improvise. Your solution to the problem is to cover the stain with a throw rug until after the party, when you can remove the stain entirely.

The Bible uses a word for covering a stain. It’s the word ‘atonement'. Each one of us has a stained heart. Our sins have left their mark. We’d like to cover up our sins so that no one, especially God, sees them. In fact, people are constantly trying to hide their sins. But we can’t really keep God from seeing our hearts.

Thankfully, God has a remedy for our sins. In Old Testament times, God had instructed His people to bring animal sacrifices to the Temple. The high priest would take the blood of a sacrificial animal and apply it to the mercy seat on the Ark of the Covenant. The blood would cover Israel’s sins. Leviticus 16.15 says, “In this way he will make atonement for the Most Holy Place because of the uncleanness and rebellion of the Israelites, whatever their sins have been.” The idea behind this practice was that God would no longer see the people's sins and would therefore maintain fellowship with them. The word ‘atone’ literally means ‘at one'. Through the atonement we are at one with God in fellowship and relationship.

However, like the throw rug covering the grape juice stain until after the party, the animal sacrifices were only a temporary measure. Jesus died on the cross to atone for our sins. But He didn’t simply cover them up. He washed them away. John the Baptist, in John 1.29, said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” Jesus doesn’t merely cover our sins. He washes them away. By His atoning death we can be at one with God.

There is some debate among Christians as to the extent of Christ's atoning work. Some suggest that the benefits of Jesus' death are limited, that Jesus died only for those who would eventually come to Him by faith. Others think that Jesus died for everyone, that His atonement is unlimited. First Timothy 4.10 tips the scale in favour of an unlimited atonement in my thinking. It says, “We have put our hope in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, and especially of those who believe.” This doesn’t mean that everyone will be saved, but that everyone can be saved.

But no matter what you believe about the extent of Christ’s atonement, we can all agree that without His death on the cross we couldn’t be saved. We need Jesus to remove the stain of sin in our hearts. Have you received Jesus as your Saviour? Ask Him to come into your life. He’s eager to completely wash your sins away.

Salvation

Imagine that you’re in a little boat on a stormy sea. Suddenly you find yourself overboard, sinking quickly into the cold, murky water. You cry out in desperation, “Help, save me!” Then a hand reaches out of nowhere and rescues you. You have been, quite literally, saved! In fact, this is exactly the term that Peter used when he, having walked briefly on the Sea of Galilee, began to sink. According to Matthew 14.30, Peter cried out, “Lord, save me!” To be saved from physical danger or natural disaster would be an incredible life experience. Even greater is our opportunity to be saved from eternal spiritual death.

Our need for salvation is a constant theme in Scripture. Jesus, in John 3.17, said, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” But what is salvation, and how can we know if we’re truly saved in God’s sight?

A helpful synonym for salvation is the word ‘deliverance. ‘ When we’re saved, we’ve been delivered from a lost condition to a position of safety. Before we were saved, we were ‘children of wrath,’ as Ephesians 2.3 puts it. This means that, because of our sin, we were under God’s righteous anger and judgment. But Romans 5.9 says, “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!” Through faith in Jesus Christ, we’ve been delivered from a position of God’s disfavour to a position of His favour and blessing, right here, right now. Salvation isn’t just a truth for the future. It applies to our present position as God’s children.

However, salvation does change our future destination as well. Those who aren’t saved have nothing but eternal judgment in hell waiting for them. But when we’re saved, we’re delivered from a future in hell to a future in heaven with God. Second Thessalonians 2.10 warns about a future without Jesus Christ, saying, “They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” By contrast, in 2 Timothy 4.18 Paul expressed his confident faith that the Lord would deliver him ‘to his heavenly kingdom.” Those who are saved have been delivered from a future in hell to a glorious future in heaven.

So what does it take to be saved? The good news is this,  the work has already been done. Jesus died in your place on the cross. You need only receive Jesus into your heart by faith and you can be certain that you’re saved. Ephesians 2.8 tells us, “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith,  and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Why not accept Jesus’ free gift of salvation right now, and thank Him for delivering you from wrath and judgment to a position of favour and to a future of heaven?

Sin and the Sin Nature

 Sin is never a popular subject. Most people either deny that they sin or that sins are of any real concern. Those who feel guilty over sin often resort to a try-harder remedy, hoping that their good intentions and extra efforts will in some way eclipse their failures. After all, won’t God overlook our sins if we do enough good things? However, God’s Word is clear about the consequences of even the least of sins. Romans 6.23 says, “The wages of sin is death.” Because of our sins we’re hopelessly lost unless God steps in.

As if that weren’t bad enough, we learn from the Scriptures that sin takes on many forms in our lives. There are sins of commission and sins of omission, that is to say, we sin by actively disobeying God’s commands and by passively neglecting to obey His will. James 2.10 tells us, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking it all,” and James 4.17 states, “Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.” We can sin by our actions and by our inactions. We can even sin just by thinking evil thoughts. In Matthew 15.19 Jesus said, “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” Sin is pervasive in our lives.

The reason sin is so strong in our lives is that we were born with a sinful nature. Galatians 5.16-17 tells us, “Live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want.” This sinful nature, the flesh, draws us away from God’s holy standard. It entices us to act as sinners.

Simply stated, sin is any failure on our part to conform to God’s holiness. Romans 3.23 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” No one measures up to God’s glory. We’re sinners by birth and by choice. Romans 5.12 tells us, “Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.”

However, the Bible offers some very good news. Jesus took our sins on Himself so that we can be totally forgiven. Second Corinthians 5.21 declares, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. When we receive Jesus into our hearts by faith He forgives our sins and restores us to a right relationship with God. Thank God today for Jesus Christ and His loving sacrifice for your sins.

Temptation

Temptation is a word we use for various levels of undisciplined behaviour. We may be tempted to hit the snooze button one too many times and arrive late to work. We’re tempted to have a piece of chocolate cake instead of sticking to our diet. At a much more insidious level we’re tempted every day to wander into sin against a holy God. We’re tempted to lie, swear, lust, hate, lose our tempers, worry, gossip, complain, malign, and a host of other sins. Why is temptation so prevalent in our lives?

To begin with, we must understand that God never tempts us to sin. James 1.13 says, “When tempted, no-one should say, ‘God is tempting me.’ For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.” So God is never the source of temptation, but we do have plenty of other sources of solicitation to evil. In simple terms we can say that temptation comes from three sources, the world, the flesh, and the devil.

The world wants us to follow its ungodly patterns. First John 2.16 says, “For everything in the world, the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does, comes not from the Father but from the world.” Likewise, our inner, sinful being, our flesh, longs to sin. James 1.14 tells us, “Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.” Satan, too, tempts us to sin. First Peter 5.8 warns, “Be self-controlled and alert.  Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” The world, the flesh, and the devil each contribute to our daily temptations. But we can be victorious over temptation through the power of Jesus Christ.

The Bible tells us that God protects us from those temptations that would overwhelm us. In 1 Corinthians 10.13 we read, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted he will provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” Your particular temptations aren’t unique. We’re all tempted in many ways. Neither is your temptation unbearable. God has made a way of escape. We can resist temptation in the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour. We do so by renewing our minds, replacing sinful patterns with healthy habits, and avoiding those situations in which temptation seems strongest. First John 5.1-2 assures us of victory over temptation, saying, “Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” Expect God to help you resist temptation today and thank Him for your victory in Jesus Christ.

The Fall

Someone recently asked me, “Why did God create sin?” Of course, God didn’t create sin. I explained that God is perfect, but Satan turned against God and thereby ‘created’ sin.  Eventually, people followed Satan’s example and disobeyed God. Therefore, sin entered the human race. The first act of human sin is called the Fall. Adam and Eve disobeyed God and fell from perfect fellowship with Him. Everyone born since the Fall, apart from Jesus Christ, shares in that sin. The Fall has infected all of us. We’re sinners by birth and sinners by choice.

Genesis 3.6-7 describes the tragic historical event called the Fall. “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.  Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realised they were naked, so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.” God had given Adam and Eve everything in the Garden of Eden for their enjoyment with the exception of one tree. In Genesis 2.17 God warned, “But you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” At Satan’s prompting, Eve disobeyed God’s command as did Adam. Both immediately realised that something was terribly wrong and they tried to hide their shame. They tried to hide from God. But we can’t hide from God. God soon confronted Adam and Eve with their sin. He also offered them hope.

The Fall had wide reaching consequences. The immediate effect of this first sin was spiritual death. Adam and Eve died that day, spiritually speaking. They were immediately cut off from God. This spiritual death could only be remedied through a spiritual rebirth based on faith in the gracious provision of God. Ultimately, Jesus would die for this and every other human sin in order to pave the way for restoration and salvation.

Furthermore, the Fall infected every descendant of Adam and Eve. First Corinthians 15.22 says, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” All of us are born spiritually dead because of our relationship with Adam, and that spiritual death will result in physical and even eternal death. But when we receive Jesus Christ, our sinless sacrifice for sin, we’re made alive, alive spiritually and alive eternally.

Have you entered into the saving grace of Jesus Christ by faith? If not, why not stop right now and invite Jesus into your heart? If you have Jesus in your heart, you’ve passed from death to life. Isn’t it great to know that our sins have been forgiven through Jesus Christ!