Which Team Are You On???   A Word from THE WORD!!! #272

We enjoy football at our house, and sometimes our teams win and sometimes they lose.  Sometimes it’s a well-played game and other times it’s just sad to watch; this weekend was one of those times, and as I sat down to write today, I couldn’t help but think of how many of us live the Christian life oft-times like a poorly played sports game.  We don’t do what we do for great fame, or for giant salaries, for popularity or worldly success—we are serving the King of kings and Lord of lords, and the thing that we live for is in light of the price that purchased our salvation on Calvary’s cross.  Jesus’ own blood!  So, I’d like to spend some time today reminding us of the cost of our salvation—a cost that God—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—chose to pay deliberately, willingly and determinately.  Peter proclaimed this boldly on the day of Pentecost.

“And it shall come to pass,

that whosoever shall call

on the name of the Lord

shall be saved.

22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words;

Jesus of Nazareth,

a man approved of God among you

by miracles

and wonders

and signs,

which God did by him

in the midst of you,

as ye yourselves also know:

23 Him,

being delivered

by the determinate counsel

and foreknowledge

of God,

ye have taken,

and by wicked hands

have crucified and slain:

24 Whom God hath raised up,

having loosed the pains of death:

because it was not possible

that he should be holden of it.”  Acts 2:21-24

God willingly, determinately, lovingly sent Jesus to pay for our sin debt that we might have life—eternal life and not eternity in hell.  For you see, sin is the issue!  Paul makes this clear in his message to the church at Corinth, where he gives us the Gospel in a nutshell, so to speak.

“For I delivered unto you first of all

that which I also received,

how that Christ died

for our sins

according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried,

and that he rose again the third day

according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas,

then of the twelve:” 1 Corinthians 15:3-5

Jesus himself, also made this salvation plan of God clear to the religious leader, Nicodemus.  There is only one way—and Jesus is His name; have you come to Him?  Have you made the decision to hear the voice of God and respond in repentance of your sin and faith in Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning sacrifice that He fore told to Nicodemus!  I pray that you have made the choice to hear the call of Jesus and respond in faith to be born again and become a child of God!  And John began his gospel with this very picture of the new birth.

“He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.”  John 1:11-13

Jesus makes this even more clear.  I pray that you will hear these verses with a heart ready to receive a word from Jesus.  I pray that we will always hear, receive and obey the words that God has given us in scripture.  They are God’s love letter to us, please hear, heed and receive them to your heart.

“There was a man of the Pharisees,

named Nicodemus,

a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him,

Rabbi, we know

that thou art a teacher come from God:

for no man can do these miracles

that thou doest,

except God be with him.

3 Jesus answered and said unto him,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born again,

he cannot see the kingdom of God.

4 Nicodemus saith unto him,

How can a man be born when he is old?

can he enter the second time

into his mother’s womb, and be born?

5 Jesus answered,

Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

Except a man be born

of water

and of the Spirit,

he cannot enter into

the kingdom of God.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh;

and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee,

Ye must be born again…

… 12 If I have told you earthly things,

and ye believe not,

how shall ye believe,

if I tell you of heavenly things?

13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven,

but he that came down from heaven,

even the Son of man

which is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent

in the wilderness,

even so must the Son of man

be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have eternal life.

16 For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

17 For God sent not his Son into the world

to condemn the world;

but that the world through him

might be saved…

… 18 He that believeth on him

is not condemned:

but he that believeth not

is condemned already,

because he hath not believed

in the name

of the only begotten Son of God.

19 And this is the condemnation,

that light is come into the world,

and men loved darkness

rather than light,

because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil

hateth the light,

neither cometh to the light,

lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he

that doeth truth

cometh to the light,

that his deeds may be made manifest,

that they are wrought in God.”                         Portions of John 3:1-21

I urge and encourage each of us to examine our own heart and life and see if we have chosen this “Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”; and if we are choosing to pursue the holiness and righteousness which the Holy Spirit can produce in those who belong to Jesus.  As my mother used to say, “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and you can fool all of the people some of the time.  But you can’t fool God!”  And I’d like to share a few passages that remind us that Jesus was always God’s plan—there was no plan “A” that failed so God came us with plan “B”!  Jesus was, is and ever shall be “the way, the truth and the life” and no person can come to God apart from Jesus substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for sin, which He gave of His own will.

“Therefore doth my Father love me,

because I lay down my life,

that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh it from me,

but I lay it down of myself.

I have power to lay it down,

and I have power to take it again.

This commandment have I received

of my Father.”  John 10:17-18

 He did it for you and me!!!

“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed

with corruptible things,

as silver and gold,

from your vain conversation

received by tradition from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ,

as of a lamb without blemish

and without spot:

20 Who verily was foreordained

before the foundation of the world,

but was manifest in these last times

for you,

21 Who by him do believe in God,

that raised him up

from the dead,

and gave him glory;

that your faith and hope

might be in God.”  1 Peter 1:18-21

“And all that dwell upon the earth

shall worship him,

whose names are not written

in the book of life

of the Lamb slain

from the foundation of the world.”              Revelation 13:8

God knew before creation that we would fail, yet He created us anyway having already provided for our salvation—Jesus’ death for our sin on the cross!  Will you look to Him for salvation?  Will you depend upon His Holy Spirit for direction in living for Him?  Will we be found faithful when He comes or when He calls us to Himself?

Paul wrote one of the greatest words of encouragement that has ministered to me, as well as being a reminder of how we are to make sure we are walking on the right team continually; living the crucified life means dependence upon Jesus not myself!  I pray that it will speak to you as well.

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

Amen and Amen!!!