Identity Found in GodThe Redeemer and the Redeemed The Redeemer The Day Before the Cross The Day of the Cross The Day After the Cross Living as the Redeemed  Living as the Redeemed Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. I Peter 1:3-4 As the sun was coming up on that Sunday morning, Mary and Mary Magdalene found themselves at the tomb. Now try and imagine this: there was a violent earthquake as an angel came down from heaven. He rolled the stone away and sat there. The guards, “shook and became like dead men”. The women were in wonder as they saw an empty grave. The angel tried to explain to them what was going on. Matthew 28:8 sums up how they felt, “afraid yet filled with joy”. I can only imagine. Mark 16:8 used the words, “trembling and bewildered”. The ladies shared the news with the disciples and Jesus continued to make Himself known to them. On this day, the third day, Jesus appears alive and well. And over the next days He, in human form, appears on earth before hundreds of people. The ultimate High Priest, after offering the sacrifice and presenting all sin before God, came back! Just as the high priest did from the Holy of Holies. This appearance, this Resurrection, the fact that Jesus came back to the people, signifies God’s acceptance of the atonement Jesus made on our behalf. That is incredible! He spent time in the Holy of Holies, in Heaven, with God Almighty, and returned with the best news ever! We are forgiven. Jesus has made a way to get rid of all our bad choices, all our sins, all that separates us from God, and give us full access to God. This is something – this is a relationship, a way, a Truth that you cannot find ANYWHERE else! Whether you have heard or read this message multiple times, or whether this was the first time you have heard about the way of grace and salvation, I place a challenge before you. The followers of Jesus during this time were in a specifically unique era. They were used to living a life under the law, separated by the curtain. What will this freedom of grace that Jesus just provided feel like? They had to get used to living under this grace, this idea that their sins, all of their sins, were forgiven. They were no longer bound under law. As I dug into scripture to find a verse or passage to use to express this idea, there were too many to include. My challenge for you is to dive into God’s Truth, seeking the abundant amount of verses that are put before us. How blessed we are to have His word and His voice in our spirit, be ever so real, ever so present with us. Don’t overlook it. Don’t take for granted the learning of how to live in appreciation of what Jesus did for you, and a life that resembles a body that is alive, who has been set free by the power of grace. The story doesn’t end on this Resurrection day. May you be reminded of the many characteristics of God, your Creator, Potter, Shepherd, Father, Priest, King and Redeemer. And may you find great worth, identity and purpose in yourself as a beautiful creation, clay pot, sheep, His child, forgiven, the child of the King, and a redeemed sinner. You matter so much to God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Continue to allow God’s plan and story unfold in your life. May you step into a life as His Redeemed Beloved and walk with Him on His glorious journey He has prepared just for you!
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Identity Found in GodThe Redeemer and the Redeemed The Redeemer The Day Before the Cross The Day of the Cross The Day After the Cross Living as the Redeemed  The Day After the Cross The Silence The only scripture that refers to this day is found in Matthew 27:62-66, “The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.” The guards were nervous. They didn’t want anything to get in the way – no shenanigans! They did everything to secure the tomb. If they only knew what was going to happen! On this day there is no mention of what the followers of Jesus were doing or thinking. I can only imagine the confusion, the sorrow, the fear. Was there any expectation at all that they would see Him the next day? A time of waiting. Just as it was when the high priest entered the Most Holy Place on the Day of Atonement. As the people waited in the temple, while the high priest was offering all their sins to God, I’m sure it was a time of reflection, conviction, examination. There was a period of time when they waited to see if the high priest would come back to declare forgiveness, to proclaim God’s acceptance of the sacrifice. This was such a day. Our High Priest entered the real Most Holy Place, in the presence of God, as a sacrifice. People were waiting, wondering what will happen next. Take today and consider the freedom we have on this side of the cross. Don’t take the forgiveness of our sins for granted. Reflect. Understand. Be convicted. Examine. What has Jesus put before the Father for you? Be humbled. Be ever so grateful for this day of waiting when your High Priest took it all from you and stood before the Father on your behalf. Identity Found in GodThe Redeemer and the Redeemed The Redeemer The Day Before the Cross The Day of the Cross The Day After the Cross Living as the Redeemed  The Day of the Cross - Good Friday Read about the events of this day: Matthew 27:11-61; Mark 15; Luke 22:66-Luke 23; John 18:28-40 – John 19 The Early Morning Hours The decision was made, the high priest, and all the Jewish leaders turned Jesus over to Pilate, the Roman governor. Really what that meant was, since the Jews no longer had authority to evoke the death penalty, they had to turn Him over to the Romans, who were able to sentence people to death. Once again we see Jesus, as He stood trial before Pilate, acknowledge the truth of His identity, but remain silent as other false testimony was flung about Him. No backing down, no pleading His case, no need to defend what was not true. The Road to the Cross Another decision was to be made. According to custom, a prisoner was to be released. Pilate tried his best to convince the crowd to let Jesus go, but the Jews rallied the crowd more, and not Jesus, but Barnabas was released. Jesus was led away to be killed, to fulfill the plan. Before He was forced to carry His cross to Golgotha, He was beaten and flogged. They stripped Him, set a crown of thorns on His head, a red robe and a staff in His hand, and then the mocking and the spitting…They took the staff and beat Him. When they were done humiliating Him, they took off the robe and led Him away. Just as they arrived at Golgotha, they offered Jesus wine mixed with gall, but He refused it. This would have actually numbed His pain, but He refused. Sit with that for a bit. He chose not to be “drugged”, but chose to go through with this with a clear mind, feeling everything the path brings. He did this for us. 9am The Cross At the 3rd hour, they nailed Jesus to the cross. While He hung there dying, passerbys insulted Him, the Jewish leaders mocked Him. What was Jesus’ response? He went to His Father, “Father forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.” Talk about a self-less, humble example, in the midst of earthly torture. This went on for 3 hours! Place yourself at this scene. The crowds loud with insults. Chaos. Confusion. John also describes a group of people who are near the cross. His mother, her sister Mary Magdalene, as well as John were there too. Oh how horrible it must have been to watch this happen to your son and your friend. Sadness. Oh it must have been overwhelming to witness this. He did nothing wrong, yet was so beaten, flesh was made so raw. What sacrifice! Not for the sake of focusing on the gruesome part of the story, but because these series of events so profoundly impacts our lives, try and spend some time soaking all of this in. Dig into the Gospels as they describe this cross experience. Try and grab a hold of what Jesus did because He loves you so much. He made a way to live with you forever. He agreed to be killed as a sacrifice that would gift you everlasting life. Do you believe this? Do you claim this?  12pm-3pm The Darkness Scripture describes this time when darkness came over all the land. The sun stopped shining. Can you imagine? The darkness was at the core – physical and spiritual. It was because of the darkness of sin that Jesus was reaching His final earthly breath. Remember, He was our final High Priest, who took all our sins to the Father. He was offering atonement for ALL past, present and future sins. Darkness.  3pm The Final Words and Final Breath “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Imagine this moment Jesus endured. Carrying this heavy sin of the world. On His way to the Father through death. The intense heaviness and separation He must have endured. “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” The committal, the pledging of all He was carrying - your sins, my sins - into the Father’s hands. Surrender. He literally placed it all into His hands because He trusted and knew His Father could take it. “It is finished.” This word, “finish” means “paid in full”. The sacrificial system that had been in place to offer atonement for sin, the one that included sacrifice after sacrifice after sacrifice because of people’s continual sins, this system has now come to an end. Jesus made a new way, a final sacrifice, allowing God’s people to now have complete access to Him. Jesus paid the price. He breathed His last earthly breath, and died. What happened next gives me chills every time I meditate on this portion of God’s good plan. “The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” The very curtain that divided and separated God from the sinful people – it hung in front of the Most Holy Place – the moment Jesus died, the division between God and His people was removed. From top to bottom, God tore the curtain. Our High Priest stepped into the true Holy of Holies, heaven itself, on our behalf. He created a way to our Father. Just soak that in! The earth shook, the rocks split. People were terrified. “Not one of His bones would be broken. They will look on the One they have pierced.” Scripture was fulfilled as the centurion came to Jesus and already found Him dead. They pierced His side, but found no reason to break His legs. The Tomb Evening was coming and they needed to take care of Jesus’ body before Sabbath, the Day of Rest began. Joseph of Arimathea, a secret follower of Christ, asked for His body. Nicodemus, another secret follower, helped Joseph prepare Jesus’ body. They placed the body in a new tomb and they placed a big stone in front of the tomb. Mary and Mary Magdalene observed the whole process. The day came to an end. Identity Found In GodThe Redeemer and the Redeemed The Redeemer The Day Before the Cross The Day of the Cross The Day After the Cross Living as the Redeemed  The Day Before the Cross Many events went down on this day. Place yourself in the midst of each of these scenes. Dig into the Gospels and embrace Him. Jesus spent His time on earth teaching, healing, preparing and relating to the people. But He knew the ultimate purpose of His presence on earth. As time went on, I imagine the intensity increased. Oh how He tried to prepare His disciples of what was about to go down. He so loved spending time with them, and He knew that soon He was going to have to leave them. Jesus knew that His days with His precious friends were coming to an end. I can relate to that dreadful feeling of saying goodbye to those you love. There’s a feeling of wanting to soak up the time together. John 13:1 tells of this, “It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” The passage continues. To really drill home what true servant hood looked like, He lowered Himself into a servant role, and washed their feet – even the feet of the one He knew was about to betray Him. A true act of humility. This was an intentional teaching moment and expression of love for His disciples, and for us. Take a moment to consider whose feet God may be asking you to wash. Are you walking in service to others? Ask God for Christ-like humility to wash over you.  The Communion/The Last Supper I just have to begin by confessing that I have claimed those words multiple times in my lifetime. Every time I make a decision to go on a diet one more time, I gather up the family and invite them to join me in “my last supper”. I know that last means final, and I should only have had one in my life, but, well, that’s not how it has worked with me. During each of my last suppers I try and eat all my favorite foods, and as much of it as I want…because after all, this last supper is it – no more luxurious, delicious food. I will be restricted on what I will be able to enjoy. Well at least until I gradually lose focus and well, then I go down a bad path of temptation, until I find determination in me once more and proclaim yet another “last supper”! But more seriously, here is the famous scene of Jesus surrounded by those He loves. John 13:21 gives us an insight into the anticipation of what was about to happen. I wonder if it was a bit like when we know there’s something good around the corner, but, we know what we have to go through to get there. The anxiety of the journey, but hope for the outcome. Jesus enters into a time of creating an experience with His precious friends that will be remembered, a scene that would serve as a reflection of what He did for them, and for us. I’m not sure that in those sacred moments the disciples completely understood, or whole-heartedly engaged in the intimacy Christ was expressing to His loved ones. Jesus knew what was coming, and wanted to take this precious time together around the table, enjoying the company of each other. It was a time when He could engrave in their hearts the meaning of His blood and His body, the sacrifice He was about to make for them, and for all. Spend some time with Jesus. Commune with Him. Ask Him to reveal to you what might be missing. Allow His intimacy and love He has for you to penetrate your heart, mind and soul. Sit in remembrance, in recognition of His journey, His body, His blood. The Predictions & Promises Oh how it must have been difficult for the human side of Jesus to wash the feet of Judas, or to break bread with Him knowing what He was about to do. Yet, He did. He named and predicted that one would completely turn Him over to the enemy. There must have been that deep pain at the pit of His stomach at the thought. Perhaps just as unsettling was the thought that Peter, the Rock, was going to say He doesn’t even know Jesus, not just one time, but three times. John 14 – 17 gives us a peek into this heart-felt conversation Jesus is having, directing the disciples towards His leaving them, but offering the promises that lied ahead. Take time to read these personal words in John 14-17. While it almost feels like a final crash course being poured into them, there is hope and peace in the midst of His loving words. I imagine the disciples were overwhelmed, attempting to comprehend all that He was revealing to them. But we have the Word in front of us to read and reread, to soak in. May you do just that. Seek hope and peace in the words of Jesus. The Agony at the Garden The experience at the garden is one like no other. It captures the simultaneous human emotions, with the perseverance and strength as God. Read the real struggle and pain that Jesus endured. Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-42, Luke 22:39-46. Jesus took a couple of his friends along, and found himself in a moving time of anticipation. Such overwhelming distress and sorrow. Yet bursting from somewhere deep in His core, out of His steadfast love and connection with His Father, He can utter, “Not my will, but yours.” In the deepest most difficult times, are you able to utter those words? If you’re in one of those times now, drop on your knees, cry out to God, and ask Him for the strength you need that can only come from Him. If you’re not in the midst of a crisis or pit of sorrow, lean in and get to know your Father during this time and connect with Him. Grow in your love for Him so that if/when the difficult day comes, you have a hold of His hand, and can muster the words, “Not my will, but yours.” The Betrayal & Arrest Just as the emotional time in the garden ended, Jesus stood strong and announced to the sleeping disciples that it’s time. His betrayer was coming. Judas and a crowd of people approached in the dark. Judas kissed His cheek and turned Him in. A bit unimaginable. They came at Him and arrested Him. One of those with Jesus drew a sword and cut off the ear of one of the soldiers. Jesus quickly reprimanded him and healed the ear. He made it clear that this was not a battle to be won by a sword, but rather, His Father had things in control. It seemed like His disciples didn’t quite know what to do with that, and scripture says they all ran away in fear. The Questioning They took Jesus to the high priest. Peter was lurking behind the scenes. False accusations were being hurled, to which Jesus remained silent. No need to defend false accounts. When the question of truth was asked, “Are you Christ, the Son of God?” Jesus boldly affirmed His identity. This ravaged the high priest and crowd and the beatings began. As Jesus modeled how to handle false accusations and truth, may we consider how we handle such conversations. The Denial Early on in my Christian walk, I was pretty hard on Peter. I mean, how could someone walk so tightly with Jesus only to deny Him 3 times? But the more I put myself in his shoes, the more I felt for the guy. While he was in the courtyard, warming up by the fire, listening in on the heated conversations, including words like blasphemy, three times he was recognized as being connected to Jesus, and three times fear overtook him and denied Him. Just then the rooster crowed, and all that Jesus had been telling them was happening. Though Peter wanted to be so strong, he realized what just happened and it broke his heart! May we continually strive to receive God’s strength to remain faithful to our Lord, to not fall into fear of what others will think, or of what might happen if you speak about your connection to Jesus. May we stand for and claim our Lord and be strong. Close this day clinging tight to your Savior, Jesus, the One who was accused, beaten, flogged, denied, betrayed... Identity Found in GodThe Redeemer and the Redeemed The Redeemer The Day Before the Cross The Day of the Cross The Day After the Cross Living as the Redeemed  The Redeemer 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 ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. I Peter 1:18-19 I am always intrigued when I sit down and study the concept of redemption. First let’s run through a scenario of purchasing a house. It’s the one you know is just right for you and your family. You fell in love with it. For one reason or another (this isn’t a lesson on financial decisions J), you have just a percent of the money you could use to put down on the house. In the lending field, this is called a down payment, or a deposit. The down payment is your current investment, what you give to the bank that says, hey, I’m serious about this house being mine. This is what I will give you now, and the rest will come. This deposit is an “in the meantime” kind of deal. During this time period, you dwell in the home, knowing that at some point, the home won’t just be temporarily yours or on loan. There comes a day, maybe later than sooner, when the deal is complete, and the price has been paid in full. You fully encompass the home. It now completely, can function as yours one hundred percent. This may help us understand the person of Jesus as our Redeemer. You see God created us in His image to dwell in the garden with Him in perfection. But then sin entered the relationship, separating mankind from God. God had a plan. He wants to have us back, and sent His son, Jesus, to redeem us, to buy us back, to rescue us with a price. A price needed to be paid. A ransom for our sin. God loves us that much – so much that He wants us back, and was willing to come to earth and offer His life for us, on our behalf. And so, He is our redeemer. Now here comes the next layer to this. We have hope and can be confident that when we choose to follow Christ, and believe we are saved through Jesus, that we can spend eternal life with Him. But it’s not quite time yet to abide in the perfection of our heavenly home. There is this “in the meantime” part of the deal. Jesus has already come, and those who believe and commit to follow Him are, in a sense, His. Just as the house, in a sense, is ours, but there’s a bit more needing to be done to seal the deal. So what do we do in this temporary space? Let’s keep going – God has given us a down payment in the redemption process. Paul describes the amazing plan God has in II Corinthians 1:21-22, “ Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.” The same idea is explained in Ephesians 1:13-14, “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.” This pumps me up! So basically, God is buying us back. Jesus paid the price, and He gave us the Holy Spirit during this “in the meantime” phase, guaranteeing us that we indeed will continue our relationship with God, inheriting all that is in store for us in heaven! What we experience now, as the Holy Spirit resides in us, is simply a taste of what it will be like when we can once again be fully in His presence, forever! We are His! He bought us! He has left in us His Holy Spirit who will lead us, guide us, comfort us – in the meantime. May we embrace the Truth in His Redemption. Believe that we are saved and that we are bought back. We belong to Him – He put His seal on us. While we wait for the final move from these earthly tents, anticipating even more that awaits us in heaven, let’s tune our hearts to the Holy Spirit, and enjoy the fruit of His Spirit – in the meantime! Consider what it means to you that God has bought you back, and that He is your Redeemer. Jesus paid it all! What can you do to recognize the down payment of the Holy Spirit who has been left for you? Identity Found in GodThe King and the Kingdom The King The King’s People The Kingdom on Earth The Law Living with the Attitude of Christ  Living with the Attitude of Christ I went on an MDS (Mennonite Disaster Service) trip to Pass Christian, Mississippi to do work rebuilding after hurricane Katrina. By the time we arrived at the MDS site, the orientation meeting was over. Normally I would be ok with that, but during this time, they decided teams without us, plunking our names on jobs without our input. I felt my heart begin to race and anxiety fill my insides as I examined the board. There must have been some mistake. Surely, they will soon realize the formation of the teams are inaccurate. My name was placed on a team that was working on a particular house putting in windows and building a deck. Jay’s name was part of a team who was going to be painting. Wait just a minute! I approached the coordinator, explaining my lack of carpentry skill, and, well, it didn’t matter as no changes were being made. I am embarrassed to say that, the rest of that night I spent throwing one big fit. Poor Jay. He was the one who was stuck dealing with my big huge pity party. He was on a team with a friend I wanted to be on a team with, and I wasn’t even going to be able to enjoy serving on a team with him, my own husband for crying out loud. How do they really think it’s a good idea to put me in charge of building something. Put a paint brush in my hand, not a saw or anything dangerous! Seriously, this all must be a big mistake! I settled down and Jay and I went our separate ways to designated sleeping areas. I found myself attempting to do some sort of prayer and devotions before my head hit the pillow. I’m not sure if you have every gotten a straight “what for” from God, some call it a 2 x 4, but that night He didn’t waste any time. He got a hold of me right away. I was compelled to turn straight to Philippians 2:5-11. You know, the one that starts with, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus”. Oh boy – here it comes! I was in need of a big time attitude adjustment. I couldn’t get past that first verse. I felt like God was saying, “It’s not just about having a ‘good’ attitude, but drop one of the “o’s” from the word good, and I want you to have a GOD attitude!” It wasn’t just about having a positive perspective or outlook on a situation. It was more than choosing to look at a glass as half full or half empty. It was about stepping back out of a selfish mindset and considering what God is at work doing. It was entering this experience knowing that it’s not just going to be good or bad, it’s going to be about God. It was more than a wall to paint or a deck to build – it was about touching lives of those who had been homeless due to the hurricane. It was about bringing Jesus into the lives of the homeowners. The trip wasn’t about me – it was about doing God’s work with God’s people for God’s people. And, by the way, I was so proud of myself – I learned how to use some tools I never imagined I could use – like a “Poof Gun” (AKA Staple Gun) and a “Salsa” (AKA sawzall). My teammates soon learned and adopted my names I shared in my native carpenter’s language! The passage in Philippians 2 goes on to describe Jesus’ attitude. If anyone had a right to have a “God complex”, it would be Jesus – after all, He is God. But listen to what the passage says, “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” He pretty much made the choice to leave His God nature at the door. He chose to be a servant. He made the decision to make Himself nothing. He set aside His power. As He walked this earth as God, yet human, He subjected Himself to human limitations. He put Himself in a position that would allow Him to experience what humans experience – to identify with mankind. The God attitude that Jesus reflected was that He willingly gave up all that He had in heaven to accomplish what His Father had in mind. This reminds me of playing games with our young children. There were many moments when I was faced with a choice. I could make a certain move and win the game, or I could do something different to let them win. I had to pick. I clearly was capable enough to win the game. I had the power to make just one move and call me the champ. Or, I could set my skill, my “power” aside and give up my right to win. Jesus could choose. He was capable and had the power to take out those who spit on Him, mocked Him, flogged Him, and killed Him. He had the authority to get Himself out of all those painful situations, but He chose not to do so. He chose to give up His right and set His power aside…for us. The attitude that we are challenged to put on, that of Christ Jesus, is the attitude of humility. An attitude of obedience to God. It’s an attitude that is sacrificial, one that thinks of others over ourselves. The King that is described in vs 10-11, who every knee will bow down to, who every tongue will confess as Lord, is Jesus, the very One who first humbled Himself, took a step back, considered what His Father was up to, and lived and walked accordingly. What kind of attitude adjustment do you need? Ask God to show you what areas you need to turn into a “God Attitude”? How can you be humbled? Study the words and actions of Jesus – the pure model of servanthood. Identity Found in GodThe King and the Kingdom The King The King’s People The Kingdom on Earth The Law & The Grace Living with the Attitude of Christ  The Law & The Grace For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace. Romans 6:14 Laws. America has laws. When I taught school, I had classroom rules. We have house rules for our family. Rules. Codes of conduct. Laws are systems of rules. Rules are a set of understood regulations or principles governing the conduct of a particular group. I can tell you multiple stories of my teaching experiences when it became clear that students conducted themselves better when I set specific understandable rules and boundaries. They knew what was expected, and they knew exactly what would happen if they broke a rule. I would say the same thing is true about my children. There are rules that address all aspects of life and society. There is a realization that humanity needed rules, needed laws. A law lays out clearly how to live. In the early books of the Bible, you will read law after law after law. There was a system of laws that the Jews attempted to obey. God gave Moses the 10 commandments. Laws were put into place because there is the reality that we have tendencies of making bad choices. The law was established to name the sin and to recognize it. It was put in place to remind us that we are imperfect. And, as hard as we try, are we really able to avoid sin completely? In Romans 3:19-20, it says, “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.” It is made so clear in Romans, as well as in Galatians 3 that we are not made right just because we know or even attempt to observe the law. This just makes us aware of our sin. This whole process points us to Jesus. If we know the law, recognize the sin, we conclude that we need someone who can take our sins completely away. There is not one person on earth who could live a sin-free life, adhering to every law 100% of the time. It points us to understand the need for grace, which ultimately leads us to our need for Jesus. Paul’s question to the Galatians was this, “Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?” If we memorize the law, know about the law, and observe the law, will that cut it? We will soon realize we cannot do it by ourselves, or by efforts of man. There is a difference in being an abider of the law and someone who, while keeping the law in mind, yearns for a relationship with the One who fulfills the law. Jesus didn’t come to get rid of the law, but to fulfill it. He provides the grace that is needed when we fall short. In Romans 1 & 2 Paul reminds us that it isn’t enough to live life with just the outward expression. To be truly a follower of Christ, as one who knows the need of grace, we need to be inwardly transformed. When we make the choice to follow Christ, but deliberately choose to engage in sinful activity, we have an inward struggle to set straight. If my students or children could recite back to me WHAT the rules are, but do not attempt to comply to them, they miss it. But there is good news in the midst of all of this. We no longer have to live under the stress of keeping the law, but we have the beautiful gift and invitation to life free, under grace. I am sure that many of you have either been told or have experienced the feeling of being “not good enough”. When we stress over achieving “the law”, we might find ourselves feeling hopeless or unworthy. However, as we commit our lives to following Christ, we grow and learn and strive to become more and more like Him. And on this journey, there will be times we will fall short. When we mess up. What do we do then? There surely will be those voices on this earth that may not understand, and who may whisper or shout in such a way that leaves us crumbled on the ground. But take heart! May we believe and know that Jesus will meet us right where we fall, reach out His hand and will help us right back up on the path. He is enough. With Him, it is possible. Grace bursts forth as His hand touches ours and gifts us another chance. What does grace mean to you? Ask God to bring you deeper in your understanding of living a life striving to be more Christ-like, free from the law, recognizing Jesus fulfilled the law, and in the embrace of grace. Identity Found in GodThe King and the Kingdom The King The King’s People The Kingdom on Earth The Law Living with the Attitude of Christ  The Kingdom on Earth Luke 17:21…because the kingdom of God is within you. As mentioned before, Jay and I have moved our family multiple times. While the amount of “stuff” changes each time, and each home looks different, the landscape and neighborhood is never the same, there is one thing that remains intact from place to place – our family members are the same. Thankfully, we haven’t lost any children in any of the moves! The way we live our lives, the rules and structure of our home doesn’t change. We are who we are no matter where we are. This is one way that helps me think and understand the what concept of the Kingdom of God on earth means. When we begin to consider what the word kingdom means, we may begin with a territorial image. In worldly terms, we would say that a king’s kingdom refers to a certain region, like the King of England. Therefore, when we think of the Kingdom of God, we may automatically try to wrap our minds around a physical region, with set boundaries. We may picture the world – God’s Kingdom on earth – the continents, countries, states, grassland, and so on. We may try and picture God’s kingdom in heaven with golden streets, mansions, and flowing rivers. But Jesus clarifies this in Luke 17:20-21. The Pharisees were asking Jesus about the Kingdom of God, “ Once, on being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, Jesus replied, “The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed, nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is within you.” Think on that a bit. The Kingdom of God, the designated space where He reigns is not “here” or “there”, it is within us! As we remain in our temporary home here on earth, God’s Kingdom has nothing to do with the region or territory on earth, but everything to do with our hearts, with our lives, with our relationships. Just as the analogy of our family above, our “kingdom” has more to do with each of us, than where we live. As we consider being a part of God’s kingdom here on earth, what does that look like? Kings need a place to reign. Jesus referred to the kingdom of God throughout His time on earth. I imagine that many looked at Jesus as their King, and the Kingdom is where He is. I wonder how the Israelites felt as they celebrated their King coming in on a donkey. Shouting, “Hosanna, Hosanna!” they voiced their praise to their King. Jesus, though, continued to describe that the kingdom is basically, as mentioned before, our hearts and lives. While He walked on earth for a season, even when He left, His Kingdom would remain. What should it look like, and what would not be acceptable conditions? The kingdom that God established here on earth contains the same features and characteristics of His heavenly kingdom. Matthew 6:10 says, Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. As we accept Jesus to rule in our hearts, when we proclaim that He is God, and believe that the sacrifice He made was the reason we can experience true grace, then we have created space for His kingdom to be extended in and through us. We don’t have to wait to begin experiencing life in the kingdom of God in heaven. He reigns in us now. He does His work in and through us. We can be a part of the kingdom of God in such a way even now. Paul reminds us that when we become followers of Jesus, our citizenship changes. We put aside the rights of the world, and realize we have access to the rights found in the kingdom of God. While we are temporarily living amongst competing kingdoms, we know and have hope that our citizenship leads us to our heavenly residence – the kingdom where we can dwell in complete perfection. Take time to consider, break down the complexities of living in this world, and visualize yourself as a part of God’s kingdom. How should you contribute to the King’s work? Think about Jesus, your loving, compassionate, revealing King. Realize that as He serves as the ruler of your life, He knows what’s best. Strive to understand what He desires of you. What is your role in His kingdom? What do you still need to surrender? What are areas of your life that need to be submitted to Him? But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you. Matthew 6:33 Identity Found in GodThe King and the Kingdom The King The King’s People The Kingdom on Earth The Law Living with the Attitude of Christ  The King’s People “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.” Leviticus 26:12 Without dirty dishes, there wouldn’t be a need for a dishwasher. Without dirty clothes, no washer and dryer would be needed. Without crumbs on the floor, there’s no need for a broom or vacuum cleaner. Without the sick, there would be no reason for doctors and hospitals. Without sin or oppression, a Messiah would not be needed. God’s people were desperately in need of someone to come to their rescue. They were a group of people who desired to follow God, but fell short. They were led by numerous leaders, judges and kings – some good, some not so good, but all fell short. They were a group of people oppressed by the Egyptians all the way to the Romans. They stuck together, but went through rulers left and right. They made good choices, and would be on track…well for a little while…and then would fall again. They were often targeted, conquered and defeated. But they would try and pick up their boot straps and march on. Oh how they longed for someone to save them once and for all. I have to wonder about this group of people. I wonder if they were really looking for what Jesus had to offer. God led Moses in delivering them from the hands of the Egyptians. They were literally freed from severe slave conditions, and were led straight out of a horrible situation. I’m sure there was fear and uncertainty during the plagues, and as Moses had them walk through the waters. I mean all they had known for years was life as slaves, and now they were supposed to walk in the middle of a sea escaping their owners! Their steps out of freedom were steps to…well, they didn’t really know where they were being led. Once they were safely out of reach, though, it didn’t take long for the grumbling to start. They actually had the nerve to say these things noted in Exodus 16:3, “The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” Wow. How could it be that there was such little recognition and appreciation of their deliverance? They seemed to crave the contentment in certain things in their previous lifestyle over the freedom from oppression. Over and over you can read about God’s people falling into the traps of sin and falling into the hands of the idols and temptations in the world. Discontentment – always wanting more. Or maybe it was a trust issue? Did they trust in His strategic moves? Maybe they weren’t able to set aside their own plans to consider His. Does this sound familiar at all? It’s easy to talk about “them”. But, let’s face it, the description of this group of people would just as easily fit us today. As people who are supposedly saved by the Messiah, the King of kings, do we recognize and appreciate the deliverance we receive in this grace? We have the advantage of looking back and being able to see how their story ends. We know they entered the Promised Land. We can see that Jesus came when He did and we can learn about who He is and what He accomplished while on earth. We can call them ungrateful grumblers. But, what wilderness do we currently live in, and what are we grumbling about? What pool of temptation or idolatry or oppression are we swimming in? We are the King’s people. Do we live in such a way that reflects His reign in our lives? Are we able to clean the windshields on our eyes and clearly see the mighty hand of our Messiah in our lives? Can we recognize and appreciate what Jesus has done for us – what He has delivered us from? We live in a world where there is much to be delivered from. We are a group of people who need a savior, a Messiah, a King who is FOR us. A genuine, pure and holy ruler in our lives. I don’t know about you, but there is relief in knowing it is not me who has to come up with the strength and plan for the way out. Once I can reach a point of giving up control, submitting, trusting and allowing Jesus to reign and do His thing is actually refreshing. As He leads us through the waters, or as we make pit stops in the desert, may we be continually reminded that we have been delivered. Jesus has made a way. May we do as the Lord asked of the Israelites found in Jeremiah 7:23, “but I gave them this command: Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in obedience to all I command you, that it may go well with you.” and in Leviticus 26:12, “I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.” Describe what it looks like to be the King’s people. Are you allowing God to be your King and walk in obedience? Are you stuck grumbling in a wilderness? Are you able to recognize and appreciate what your King has, is and will do on your behalf? Your King is FOR you! Have a talk with Him. Identity Found in GodThe King and the Kingdom The King The King’s People The Kingdom on Earth The Law Living with the Attitude of Christ  The King And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross! Philippians 2:8 What flashes through your mind as you visualize a King? A flashy robe; a throne; a crown of jewels; fine dining; servants who wait on you hand and foot; a palace richly adorned with the best of the best. These descriptions definitely match the lifestyle of a king – those back in the Old Testament all the way to modern day kings. What are some other characteristics of a king? I looked up the question, “What are qualities of a good king?” and here are some things I found: calm and centered, decisive, hardworking, well spoken, wise, able to protect and maintain order, has personal integrity, just, fair, sets an example, achieves kingship by birthright. This sounds like the kind of person I would want to reign. The Israelites were so determined to seek someone to come and deliver them. They went through their share of kings, of a messiah – someone who would serve as a leader and savior of their group. Days, months, years, decades, centuries went by as their search continued. Human kings came and went. Then, just as God planned, from the line of David, the Messiah was born. Jesus Christ, the King of all kings, came to lead and save His people. This Messiah, born in the midst of hay and animals, entered the world with a power and authority that came straight from God. He fulfilled the prophecy that a descendent in the line of King David would be king, a king who would take charge and overthrow those who oppressed the people. Jesus was sent from heaven to save them. To be the one to accomplish what no earthly king had yet done – provide complete freedom. Character-wise, He fit the description – full of integrity, well-spoken, calm, centered, just, decisive. He knew His mission, and oh how He knew His Kingdom. He reigned with power and authority. What He didn’t do was maybe what they expected – come in, rally the troops and attack. His tactics were different. He was sovereign and wise, and there was power and strength in each word and move He made. He rightfully deserved the throne that was from the line of David, but His kingship was also, and more importantly, passed on to Him from God Himself. This King left His throne in heaven to establish His Kingdom on earth. Unfathomable! Our King of kings walked this earth, not in ornate jewels and a flashy robe. He didn’t demand to be waited on and pampered – in fact, it was quite the opposite. There was something different about Him. He washed other people’s feet. What a beautiful, pure and perfect example Jesus portrayed. He spoke of the law of His land, teaching and modeling how to behave. He knew what was needed, when it was needed to accomplish exactly what was needed to be done or said. He brought comfort and love. He brought a sense of security for those who followed Him. All of this was done in a way that looked different – in a Jesus kind of way. What kind of king are you allowing to rule in your life? There are many people, ways of life, or beliefs that can easily move in and take the place of King Jesus. Dig your way to your core and consider who or what you turn to for security? Consider the kind of king Jesus is – a king that looks like no worldly king, and yet He is our Messiah. Do you allow Him to reign in your life? Do you name Him and recognize that Jesus is the One? The One who knows best. Come and reign in us. Rule over our thoughts and ways. Your ways are better. |
AuthorVicki Conn Archives
June 2017
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