What does this mean?
The Lord Jesus came into this world to die on the cross of Calvary.
Why did He have to suffer ... shed His most precious blood, on a cruel tree?
The Bible tells us that Jesus shed His blood so that He could pay the price of our redemption.
God, Himself, required a perfect sacrifice.
He sent the only sinless, spotless Lamb of God into this world to suffer, to bleed and to die, for the purpose of CALLING OUT out a body of true believers to Himself, who could bring praise, honor and glory to His holy name.
God wanted to enjoy fellowship with "A PEOPLE" a people that He could call HIS OWN.
He wanted that special people to come to Him because they WANTED to, and NOT BECAUSE THEY HAD TO, and even worse, because they were by fear made to.
The Lord Jesus loved these special people long before they were even created.
His Word says in
Hebrews 13:12 " Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate."
He knew each person that He would call, by name.
Even before they were even in their Mother's womb.
He knew beforehand, that they would love Him, and that they would serve Him because they loved Him.
They would serve Him with their whole heart because they trusted Him completely.
They would believe that He is the Son of God; God of very God.
The Lord Jesus Christ shed His own blood in His own body on the tree.
1 Peter 1:18-19 "We were not redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver or gold, from your vain conversation, received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot."
You see, we are born in sin, and the reason we sin is because we are sinners.
It is quite normal behavior to sin - sin comes naturally to us.
But when we are born again, we are given a brand new heart and a brand new life which is in Christ Jesus and because He is sinless, we long to be sinless also.
The greatest joy we have, is that when Jesus died for us He not only saved us from a lost eternity - He also imputed to us His righteousness.
If He did not do this, we would not be able to have fellowship with Him.
Therefore, when we are in Christ, He ever lives to make intercession for us. He is our intercessor.
That is, He is our advocate.
He pleads with the Father on our behalf.
Even before we cry out for forgiveness - He has already forgiven us.
He knows our every weakness and He knows every temptation that comes to us.
He assures us in His Word,
Isaiah 65:24 "It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear."
Redemption! Oh, wonderful story, Glad message to you and to me:
That Jesus has purchased our pardon, And paid all the debt on the tree.
Chorus
Believe it, O sinner, Believe it, Receive the glad message 'tis true,
Trust now in the crucified Saviour, Salvation He offers to you.
Accept now Gods offer of mercy; To Jesus Oh hasten today;
For He will receive him that cometh, and never will turn him away.
Chorus
WOULD YOU LIKE TO MAKE A DECISION FOR CHRIST TO BE YOUR SAVIOUR?
PRAYERFULLY MEDITATE ON:
Isaiah 35:10 "And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away."
That is the Millennium; that is the hope of this earth. However, that is not the hope of the church.
The church’s hope is that one of these days we are to be caught up to meet the Lord in the air,
1 Thessalonians 4:14–17 "For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
The Lord Jesus will take us to a place that, candidly, is going to be far more wonderful than this earth, the New Jerusalem.
But I think we will be able to commute back and forth.
What glorious things God has planned for our future!
I wonder today if you are on the way to the New Jerusalem.
Our Lord Jesus said,
John 14:6 " I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me."
Reply to Caryl@cherith.co.za.
THIS PAGE UPDATED: 20-6-2007.