Moved to “Missional Theology”
Moved to http://missionaltheology.posterous.com/.
Bobbi will continue posting here.
Good Friday Really Is Good!…By Bobbi
In the account of Barabbas being released found in Matthew 27:15-26, I was recently made aware of some awesome realities of God. As Pilate made his decision to release Barabbas, there is not indication of Barabbas questioning Pilate or petitioning him as to “why” he was being unconditionally given his freedom. He did not ask Pilate, “Don’t I have to do something to earn this deliverance? Shouldn’t I work to merit this release?” NO! He just received his pardon and probably ran as fast as he could and as far away as he could from that prison house! Amazing what a dynamic picture this is in the natural of our total and complete pardon and deliverance in Christ. Yet how often we insist on trying to merit our salvation or prove our worthiness by seeking “things we could and should do”. This visual of a guilty man receiving his undeserved pardon without hesitation should speak to any pull from the enemy that says we must work for what has already been freely given to us.
It’s amazing the details of God we discover in the scriptures! Even in the means used to determine Jesus’ death sentence, a guilty man was set completely free. The death of a sinless Man, Jesus, made the pardon of a guilty man possible. Wow – could God make it any clearer? There is nothing we can do to save ourselves or free ourselves. Only by the mercy of God is it all possible. Jesus bore ALL our sin in His body on the cross and offered His life for ours. Now by His grace, we are freely pardoned and released from ALL judgement which was against us based on our own sin. Jesus’ death and resurrection has secured for us who believe an irreversible exchange of lives. Jesus’ life was given in exchange for Barabbas; the sinless Man died and the guilty ones now live! May we embrace the totality of what God’s gracious gift has secured for all eternity!
Easter Thoughts……..by:Bobbi
At the cross, the Father turned His back on the Son and for the first time Jesus addressed His Father as God and cried out, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ God had to turn His back on His Son because He was carrying the world’s sin-your sin and mine-and God is holy. God the Father turned His back on Jesus at the moment in time when He would have probably most desired to embrace Him and He did it ALL for us. God so loved US that He gave His only Son to die in our place. He turned His back on Jesus so He could forever make His face to shine upon us. He has gathered all His sons and daughters together in One-in Christ-and NOW we are FOREVER in His presence! He will NEVER leave us or forsake us or turn His back on us because of Jesus! Because of His great love!
At times we may fall into the trap of striving to enter in to the presence of God or working to bring His presence into our midst. But according to the Word of God and the finished work of Jesus, if we are IN CHRIST we are FOREVER IN HIS PRESENCE! We are seated with Christ in heavenly places. He took our place – our punishment for our sin and God will never turn His back on us because of Jesus! The Lord does bless us time and again with tangible senses of His presence, but it does not come by striving and begging and pleading, but rather by trusting and resting in Him and His finished work. He wants us to know and rely on His CONSTANT presence – His faithfulness to us and to His Son regardless of what we feel or don’t feel. He HAS made His face to shine upon us! He WILL never leave us or forsake us! We LIVE in His presence and in His presence is fullness of joy and life forevermore that we can partake of right now….SO REJOICE!
Never a Worm Again
“We’ve been programmed to think of identity as inseparable from behavior. But God doesn’t look at it that way. He doesn’t determine identity by behavior but by birth. A person born into the family of God receives a new identity.”
“It is important to see yourself as God sees you. If you were to see a butterfly, it would never occur to you to say, ‘Hey, everybody! Come look at this good-looking converted worm!’ Why not? After all, it was a worm. And it was ‘converted’. No, now it is a new creature, and you don’t think of it in terms of what it was. You see it as it is now–a butterfly.”
“In exactly the same way, God sees you as His new creature in Christ. Although you might not always act like a good butterfly, the truth of the matter is you are never going to be a worm again!”
“Don’t believe the lie that you are a worm. You are a butterfly. Remember who you are! Your identity is determined by your birth not your behavior. Why would a butterfly want to crawl around in the mud?”
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, ALL things have become new.” -II Corinthians 5:17
(Excerpt from “Grace Walk” by Steve McVey)
A Notorious Sinner Unconditionally Pardoned
In the account of Barabbas being released found in Matthew 27:15-26, I was recently made aware of some awesome realities of God. As Pilate made his decision to release Barabbas, there is not indication of Barabbas questioning Pilate or petitioning him as to “why” he was being unconditionally given his freedom. He did not ask Pilate, “Don’t I have to do something to earn this deliverance? Shouldn’t I work to merit this release?” NO! He just received his pardon and probably ran as fast as he could and as far away as he could from that prison house! Amazing what a dynamic picture this is in the natural of our total and complete pardon and deliverance in Christ. Yet how often we insist on trying to merit our salvation or prove our worthiness by seeking “things we could and should do”. This visual of a guilty man receiving his undeserved pardon without hesitation should speak to any pull from the enemy that says we must work for what has already been freely given to us.
It’s amazing the details of God we discover in the scriptures! Even in the means used to determine Jesus’ death sentence, a guilty man was set completely free. The death of a sinless Man, Jesus, made the pardon of a guilty man possible. Wow – could God make it any clearer? There is nothing we can do to save ourselves or free ourselves. Only by the mercy of God is it all possible. Jesus bore ALL our sin in His body on the cross and offered His life for ours. Now by His grace, we are freely pardoned and released from ALL judgement which was against us based on our own sin. Jesus’ death and resurrection has secured for us who believe an irreversible exchange of lives. Jesus’ life was given in exchange for Barabbas; the sinless Man died and the guilty ones now live! May we embrace the totality of what God’s gracious gift has secured for all eternity!
submitted by: Bobbi
old covenant/law vs. NEW COVENANT/GRACE!
On the first Pentecost, 50 days after the first Passover, God gave the Ten Commandments (the Law-the Old Covenant) at Mt. Sinai and 3,000 died. (Ex.32:16-28) On the day of Pentecost after the resurrection of Jesus, God gave the Holy Spirit at Mt. Zion and 3,000 were saved and the New Covenant Church was born! (Acts 2:1-41) God is stirring great grace in the hearts of His sons and daughters in this hour that we might KNOW the grace that has been freely given to us in Christ. (I Cor. 2:12) Now is the time to awake and embrace the grace of God in Christ and be loosed from any chains of the law that are still working in our lives to dilute the magnitude of the finished work of Jesus Christ. Let this contrast of law and grace – of old covenant and new covenant – resound in your spirit to the glory of God and set you free to truly trust in His amazing grace! Let these truths from the Word of God act as a sword (Heb. 12:1-2) to separate you from any guilt and condem-nation or striving to achieve and attain so that we may all go forth in the power of His grace bringing many sons to glory!
The Law was given. Grace and Truth came in the Person of Jesus Christ.
The Law exposes sin. Grace covers, cleanses, and removes sin.
The Law calls your sin to remembrance. Grace calls your righteousness in Christ to remembrance.
The Law condemns the best of us. Grace saves the worst of us. (more…)
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