Tag: study

Victim or Victor?

Victim or Victor?

A communion message I prepared using cut & paste from studies & adding my own opinions a few years back.

Life priciples.

As children of a sovereign God, we are never victims of our circumstances. Life is not simple. We face many bumps and turns along the way. The race is real, the battle continuous, and the painful experiences may pierce our hearts. However, our circumstances should not define who we are or how we react. Rather, as believers our behavior in every situation should honor the Lord Jesus, and our identity should always be based on the salvation He’s provided for us. God knows the Christian life isn’t easy. When you received the Lord Jesus as your Savior, He set you on your course. As your sovereign Lord, He mapped out all the bumps, turns, detours, hills, and valleys. He knew all the difficulties you’d face. He understood that you would continually clash with the world, the flesh, and the devil until you were home with Him. Yet He didn’t merely set you on the path, hoping you would find your way. He sent the Holy Spirit to indwell you, guide you, and encourage you. Endurance requires something that doesn’t come easily—trust in your unseen, sovereign God. However, with the Holy Spirit to remind you of His faithfulness and power, John 14:26,27 says, But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. & then you can remain committed to Him. When the going gets rough—and it will—you can’t run away. You can’t quit. The longer you faithfully obey the Lord, regardless of the circumstances, the stronger your faith becomes. You’re prepared for greater service and expanded ministry. You become strong, stalwart, and steadfast. The One who endured the cross lives in you, so you’re fully equipped for anything He calls you to do. Therefore, ask Him to infuse you with His power and wisdom, then obey anything He commands of you. Remember, you are never a victim of your circumstances, for your sovereign God can use everything that happens to you for your blessing and His glory. You ask, what’s this to do with the Lord’s Supper? Well that last piece, The One who endured the cross lives in you, so you’re fully equipped for anything He calls you to do. Therefore, ask Him to infuse you with His power and wisdom, then obey anything He commands of you. Remember, you are never a victim of your circumstances, for your sovereign God can use everything that happens to you for your blessing and His glory. That bit says it all, without the Cross…. without the Cross we would live life without percussion, without our values and morals being questioned, without our our friends and colleagues teasing us for doing, or not doing certain things like praying over our meals or always smiling or not having that extra beer after work. Wouldn’t life be so much easier?

But…. Without the Cross….., we wouldn’t have that deep relationship with God, we wouldn’t have that inner peace, nor that integraty that sets us apart from the rest of the world and yes possibility from some in this room, we wouldn’t have that guarantee that we will be in heaven with our Lord and King forever & ever in the future. As we bow our heads to Jesus Christ let us tgank Him for being our One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism, let us thank Him that He chose to take on the world for our sins, the sins that we have committed and are about to commit, because yes, we are still fallen men & women.

Lord Jesus Christ we thank You for the Cross, for enduring the pain and turmoil, so that we as believers can place our hope in You and Your sacrifice for us. And, Lord Jesus Christ as we partake in Your cup may we remember that this emblem represents not just Your death and burial but, also Your resurrection to glory where we will be with You one day because You love each and every one of us here today. As we bring this time of remembrance to a close we also remember that You gave Your life for us yet but the sinners that we are.

You didn’t wait for us to become new first. Amen

Romans 4:25 (notes taken from an old study from somewhere)

4:25: Jesus was delivered up for our trespasses as promised in Is 52:13–53:12. Who delivered up Jesus? Was it Judas? Pilate? The Jewish Sanhedrin? Satan? Certainly all these were causal agents in the crucifixion of Christ, but ultimately it was the sovereign God who brought it to pass in order to fulfill His plan of redemption (Ac 4:27- 28). The Father delivered Jesus up for our trespasses, and raised Him so that His righteous Servant would justify many people (Is 53:11). (HCSB Study Bible)

Jesus’ death on the cross was not an accident. God planned it long ago and had a hand in all of it. After being released from prison, Peter and John prayed to God and recognized that he was at work the entire time, even working through wicked men. Personally, realizing the bigger picture of the Passion Week is a huge comfort to me. Yes, wicked men sentenced Jesus to death, but it was all part of God’s plan. Jesus died for our sins. He rose again, showing God’s acceptance of his sacrifice. We are justified because of our faith in the work of the cross. But, God had his plan in place before Adam even sinned. What an awesome God we serve!

It all points to the cross

I love how God can work and point us to the gospel as we read his Word. It may be Passion Week, but that’s not where I’m reading; yet, God still points me to his Son’s work on the cross and my soul is lifted because of it!

The Best

Giving Our Best

When a guest comes to dinner, do you reheat the leftovers from last night’s meal? Do you set the table with plastic forks and knives and use soiled placemats? Of course not! Typically, we bring out the best for our guests — the china, silverware, freshly prepared food — right?

Giving our best, whether it has to do with serving guests, doing our job, or spending time with our family, is important to us. But what about when it comes to God? Do we give Him what the Bible refers to as the firstfruits of our time, our devotion, our labors?

The holiday of Shavuot was originally intended as a celebration of the summer harvest season, a time to thank God for His abundant provision by bringing to Him the firstfruits of the harvest.  

The firstfruits, called bikkurim, referred especially to the seven fruits of the Promised Land — wheat, barley, olives, figs, pomegranates, dates, and grapes. As soon as the farmer saw a ripening fruit, he would tie a string or ribbon around it and designate that “first fruit” as bikkurim. Later, he would pick that fruit, put it in a basket, and bring it to the Temple.

After the Temple was destroyed, the holiday focused more on celebrating the giving of God’s law.

The firstfruits were not always necessarily the earliest crop, but also referred to the best. As the Bible commanded in Exodus 23:19, “Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God.” 

My friends, God desires the same from us today — to bring Him the best of ourselves in terms of our time, talents, and devotion. As we live to please God first, we certainly will honor Him with our best.

As you can see on this table here, He gave His Best. Will you?

Pray
Pray

Jesus wants nothing but us. But here is a chance to show your gratitude for what He has given to you to live in this world.

Romans 6

Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ 6 What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2 By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3 Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were […]

Romans 6