What R.C. Ryle wrote in my previous post is a hard saying, but it is a hard saying with much comfort. God's demand of holiness is essential to the gospel, because it is the gospel. Christ death and resurrection secured for us a means of grace that included justification, sanctification, and glorification. Each one of these obtained solely by grace. So the grace that brought us into this salvation also sanctifies us.
It is in this that there is comfort. We could in no effort of ourselves bring about our salvation and likewise we in no work or effort can make ourselves holy. So this command to be holy must be fulfilled in Christ. And so as Paul addresses the Galatians, he tells them that what they have begun in faith, must be continued to be walked out in faith.
So if you want to be holy, you must begin with Christ, you must press into Christ, and you must rely on Christ. You must believe the Gospel. And this is not an idle promise, sanctification has been secured by the quarantee of the Holy Spirit, to those who are being saved.
Showing posts with label Galations. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Galations. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Halloween and Harry Potter, and the like
O you who love the LORD, hate evil! – Psalm 97:10
My heart breaks when I see Christians excited about Halloween or when I see a child carrying a Harry Potter book with them in a church. Many Christians feel comfortable with things like Halloween or Harry Potter and the like. I know this is often ignorance. When I see these things, I want to call on God like Elijah did for his servant, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” But we don’t have to have our eyes opened in that way to see the destruction that these things cause. When we look at these things through the lens of the scripture, the evil of these things are evident. Witchcraft, sorcery, familiar spirits are not a mild harmless thing. They are an abomination. God shared his heart with his people, “When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a wizard or a necromancer, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord . And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. You must be blameless before the Lord your God. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so.” (Deuteronomy 18:9-12). God calls these things an abomination. I think we must understand that when we participate in these things we are participating in the very things Hell was made for. "Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien, and do not fear Me," says the Lord of Hosts.” (Malachi 3:5) "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death" (Revelation 22:8). God’s heart is broken over the destruction of witchcraft and sorcery; He hates it. And when we participate in these things we are participating in the very things God hates.
Some would say that I am binding men’s consciences. No, we are bondservants of Christ and our consciences are bound to love the things He loves and to hate the things He hates. Beloved, Christ has set us free from the evil and sin to which we once gave ourselves as slaves and were in bondage to. We are to no longer be bound by them. Listen to Acts 19:18-20. You can hear bonds crashing to the ground in an uproar of joy, “Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.” Christ went to the cross to set us free from the bondage of sin. True freedom is coming close enough to Christ to hear His heartbeat, to know the things He loves and the things He hates, and to embrace righteousness. We don’t hate evil because we are legalistic or in bondage, we hate evil because we are in love with Christ and we are enamored by the things he loves. This is freedom. Below are some scriptures that talk about God’s feelings toward witchcraft and sorcery, there are more, but those below should suffice. Read them and get close to the heart of your God.
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. – Galatians 5:19-21
"Do not practice divination or sorcery.” – Leviticus 19:26
And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people. - - Leviticus 20:6
"But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." – Revelation 22:8
Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. –Revelation 22:15
“When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a wizard or a necromancer, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord . And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. You must be blameless before the Lord your God. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so.” –Deuteronomy 18:9-12
Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. -- Acts 19:18-20
“Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I [am] the LORD your God.” - - Leviticus 19:31
"A man or a woman who is a medium or a wizard shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them." - - Leviticus 20:27
You shall not allow a sorceress to live. Whoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death. -- Exodus 22:18,19
Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:31
For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. I Samuel 15:23
And when they say to you, "Consult the mediums and the wizards who whisper and mutter," should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? Isaiah 8:19
"Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien, and do not fear Me," says the Lord of Hosts. Malachi 3:5
My heart breaks when I see Christians excited about Halloween or when I see a child carrying a Harry Potter book with them in a church. Many Christians feel comfortable with things like Halloween or Harry Potter and the like. I know this is often ignorance. When I see these things, I want to call on God like Elijah did for his servant, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” But we don’t have to have our eyes opened in that way to see the destruction that these things cause. When we look at these things through the lens of the scripture, the evil of these things are evident. Witchcraft, sorcery, familiar spirits are not a mild harmless thing. They are an abomination. God shared his heart with his people, “When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a wizard or a necromancer, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord . And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. You must be blameless before the Lord your God. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so.” (Deuteronomy 18:9-12). God calls these things an abomination. I think we must understand that when we participate in these things we are participating in the very things Hell was made for. "Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien, and do not fear Me," says the Lord of Hosts.” (Malachi 3:5) "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death" (Revelation 22:8). God’s heart is broken over the destruction of witchcraft and sorcery; He hates it. And when we participate in these things we are participating in the very things God hates.
Some would say that I am binding men’s consciences. No, we are bondservants of Christ and our consciences are bound to love the things He loves and to hate the things He hates. Beloved, Christ has set us free from the evil and sin to which we once gave ourselves as slaves and were in bondage to. We are to no longer be bound by them. Listen to Acts 19:18-20. You can hear bonds crashing to the ground in an uproar of joy, “Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.” Christ went to the cross to set us free from the bondage of sin. True freedom is coming close enough to Christ to hear His heartbeat, to know the things He loves and the things He hates, and to embrace righteousness. We don’t hate evil because we are legalistic or in bondage, we hate evil because we are in love with Christ and we are enamored by the things he loves. This is freedom. Below are some scriptures that talk about God’s feelings toward witchcraft and sorcery, there are more, but those below should suffice. Read them and get close to the heart of your God.
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. – Galatians 5:19-21
"Do not practice divination or sorcery.” – Leviticus 19:26
And the soul that turneth after such as have familiar spirits, and after wizards, to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will cut him off from among his people. - - Leviticus 20:6
"But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." – Revelation 22:8
Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. –Revelation 22:15
“When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a wizard or a necromancer, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord . And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. You must be blameless before the Lord your God. The nations you will dispossess listen to those who practice sorcery or divination. But as for you, the Lord your God has not permitted you to do so.” –Deuteronomy 18:9-12
Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed their evil deeds. A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas. In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. -- Acts 19:18-20
“Regard not them that have familiar spirits, neither seek after wizards, to be defiled by them: I [am] the LORD your God.” - - Leviticus 19:31
"A man or a woman who is a medium or a wizard shall surely be put to death. They shall be stoned with stones; their blood shall be upon them." - - Leviticus 20:27
You shall not allow a sorceress to live. Whoever lies with an animal shall surely be put to death. -- Exodus 22:18,19
Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek them out to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God. Leviticus 19:31
For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and insubordination is as iniquity and idolatry. I Samuel 15:23
And when they say to you, "Consult the mediums and the wizards who whisper and mutter," should not a people consult their God? Should they consult the dead on behalf of the living? Isaiah 8:19
"Then I will draw near to you for judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien, and do not fear Me," says the Lord of Hosts. Malachi 3:5
Monday, June 16, 2008
The Gospel is for the believer
I. The Gospel is for the sinner
Day 1
1 John 1:8
"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
I was talking with someone recently. He was telling me of his struggles in feeling that he had to be a “godly Christian” to fit in at the church he was at. He struggled to perform certain set of prescribed things to fit that image or the vision that the church had. He said that the message he had heard from the church was that God has saved you, so you can stop sinning, when in reality the message of the gospel is that Christ has saved us because we sin. He was telling me that he was now learning about the gospel and how it applied to him as a believer. And as he came to understand this, he began to be able to walk in what the Bible says a godly Christian is to be.
When we base our Christian walk on how well we do or what a “godly Christian” is, we become actors trying to fit the image of what this is thought to be. But when we come to God by grace and grace alone, we are free to be real. Because it is not about impressing men or God, for God does not need to be impressed.
My question is: Are you capable of Righteousness?
Are you real with others or do you act like you are Righteous?
Additional readings: Isaiah 6:1-7, Psalm 16:2, Galatians
Video – Forgive me
Day 1
1 John 1:8
"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."
I was talking with someone recently. He was telling me of his struggles in feeling that he had to be a “godly Christian” to fit in at the church he was at. He struggled to perform certain set of prescribed things to fit that image or the vision that the church had. He said that the message he had heard from the church was that God has saved you, so you can stop sinning, when in reality the message of the gospel is that Christ has saved us because we sin. He was telling me that he was now learning about the gospel and how it applied to him as a believer. And as he came to understand this, he began to be able to walk in what the Bible says a godly Christian is to be.
When we base our Christian walk on how well we do or what a “godly Christian” is, we become actors trying to fit the image of what this is thought to be. But when we come to God by grace and grace alone, we are free to be real. Because it is not about impressing men or God, for God does not need to be impressed.
My question is: Are you capable of Righteousness?
Are you real with others or do you act like you are Righteous?
Additional readings: Isaiah 6:1-7, Psalm 16:2, Galatians
Video – Forgive me
Nothing to offer
Day 2: the Gospel is for the sinner, pt 2
I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you."
I asked yesterday, “Are you capable of Righteousness? . . . No, a resounding No, I have no good thing apart from God (Psalm 16:2). I bring no more to him, now, than I brought at the beginning of my salvation. . . . This is the freedom of the Gospel, we cannot earn it, we cannot prove anything, we can only trust in the work that Christ has done.
We must come to understand that our greatest righteousness is like filthy rags. We have nothing to offer Him, He has everything to offer us and He alone gets the glory.
I recently visited my 3 year old niece. Her parents don’t back down on teaching her about the Gospel and the scriptures. They know a child can understand the deep things of God. It’s great to be able to talk with a three year old about God! I was talking with her and asked her if she was going to be obedient to her parents. She had this look on her face of knowing that if she said yes that she would be lying. I told her, “You can ask God to help you to obey your parents, you know that, right.” She looked at me (she was so cute!) and said “Yes”. My niece at 3 years old understood her need for the Gospel in order to be able to obey her parents. . . .We need Him too.
How does the fact that we have nothing to offer God, and God has everything to offer us affect your Christian walk?
Additional readings: Galatians, Isaiah 42:8, Isaiah 61:3b, Colossians 1:29
Video – Who am I
I say to the LORD, "You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you."
I asked yesterday, “Are you capable of Righteousness? . . . No, a resounding No, I have no good thing apart from God (Psalm 16:2). I bring no more to him, now, than I brought at the beginning of my salvation. . . . This is the freedom of the Gospel, we cannot earn it, we cannot prove anything, we can only trust in the work that Christ has done.
We must come to understand that our greatest righteousness is like filthy rags. We have nothing to offer Him, He has everything to offer us and He alone gets the glory.
I recently visited my 3 year old niece. Her parents don’t back down on teaching her about the Gospel and the scriptures. They know a child can understand the deep things of God. It’s great to be able to talk with a three year old about God! I was talking with her and asked her if she was going to be obedient to her parents. She had this look on her face of knowing that if she said yes that she would be lying. I told her, “You can ask God to help you to obey your parents, you know that, right.” She looked at me (she was so cute!) and said “Yes”. My niece at 3 years old understood her need for the Gospel in order to be able to obey her parents. . . .We need Him too.
How does the fact that we have nothing to offer God, and God has everything to offer us affect your Christian walk?
Additional readings: Galatians, Isaiah 42:8, Isaiah 61:3b, Colossians 1:29
Video – Who am I
Our hope
II. The Cross of Christ must become bigger
Day 3
God calls us to live in righteousness. The scripture clearly says that as a Christian you must pursue righteousness. I am sure we can all think of several scriptures which show this. But now I’m telling you, that you can’t be Righteous. So where is our hope?
-- The Gospel --
In Romans 7, Paul, like my 3 year old niece, knows that if he is honest, he can’t say, “Yes, I will do good”. Paul is very real and candid here. He talks about his struggle with sin and how although he would like to do what is good, he doesn’t. In this desperation he cries out “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” . . . But he is not without hope. . . . His answer is, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Paul said that he was the worst of all sinners. But he understood that grace touched every part of who he was, it had to or he wouldn’t have had hope. He understood that God came to save sinners. The cross had become bigger for him. Paul was honest and real; he had to have Jesus . . . "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. . . . may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
Paul wrote in Galatians, “Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit are you now being perfected by the flesh?” The Bible says, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
You see, we cannot look at the work of the Gospel as something just done in our past when we were saved, for we are just as much in need of it, now, as Christians as when we first believed, both to realize our forgiveness in God and to enable us to pursue righteousness. Hear this; we never ever outgrow our need for the Gospel. The Gospel not only obtains our salvation, it also produces our sanctification, and secures our glorification.
And this faith looks to a person - Jesus Christ our Lord, the author and perfecter of our faith. This is the Gospel. Jesus is the Gospel. He alone saves us from sin. He is our only hope. Therefore there is no boasting; only praise, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Who do you depend on for righteousness?
Is your walk in sanctification by faith or works?
Additional readings: Psalm 73:26, Philippians 3:9, Romans 8
Video – Mighty is the Power of the Cross
Day 3
God calls us to live in righteousness. The scripture clearly says that as a Christian you must pursue righteousness. I am sure we can all think of several scriptures which show this. But now I’m telling you, that you can’t be Righteous. So where is our hope?
-- The Gospel --
In Romans 7, Paul, like my 3 year old niece, knows that if he is honest, he can’t say, “Yes, I will do good”. Paul is very real and candid here. He talks about his struggle with sin and how although he would like to do what is good, he doesn’t. In this desperation he cries out “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” . . . But he is not without hope. . . . His answer is, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Paul said that he was the worst of all sinners. But he understood that grace touched every part of who he was, it had to or he wouldn’t have had hope. He understood that God came to save sinners. The cross had become bigger for him. Paul was honest and real; he had to have Jesus . . . "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. . . . may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.”
Paul wrote in Galatians, “Did you receive the Spirit by works of the law or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit are you now being perfected by the flesh?” The Bible says, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
You see, we cannot look at the work of the Gospel as something just done in our past when we were saved, for we are just as much in need of it, now, as Christians as when we first believed, both to realize our forgiveness in God and to enable us to pursue righteousness. Hear this; we never ever outgrow our need for the Gospel. The Gospel not only obtains our salvation, it also produces our sanctification, and secures our glorification.
And this faith looks to a person - Jesus Christ our Lord, the author and perfecter of our faith. This is the Gospel. Jesus is the Gospel. He alone saves us from sin. He is our only hope. Therefore there is no boasting; only praise, “Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Who do you depend on for righteousness?
Is your walk in sanctification by faith or works?
Additional readings: Psalm 73:26, Philippians 3:9, Romans 8
Video – Mighty is the Power of the Cross
Covenant of faith
III. The Romance/ God’s pursuit of us
Day 4 pt 1
a. The Covenant of Faith
1 Corinthians 1:30-31
" 30But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD." "
In ancient culture, when a covenant was made between two men, animals were split in two and both men would walk in-between the animals signifying that if they did not keep covenant with the other person that they should be torn in two as the animals. In Romans 4 and Galatians 3:7-9, Paul refers to Genesis 15, where God makes a covenant with Abraham through faith. In Genesis 15, the animals were prepared and cut in two, but instead of both parties walking through the covenant, only God walks through the split animals. “As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him . . . When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram . . . .” Abraham was not capable of keeping covenant with God, so God was saying that He alone would keep the covenant both His part and Abraham’s part. God here was also saying that if He does not keep His part as well as Abraham’s part, “Let me be torn asunder”.
We have a God who in His love has made a covenant with us. Jeremiah 34:10 says, “’I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of Me in their hearts, that they may not turn from Me.’” (also read Hebrews 8:8-12). The Scripture says in Hebrews 12:2 “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." So now we look to Jesus who alone bore the cross and who alone tore the veil and who alone upholds the covenant of Grace. He is not only the author, but He is also the perfecter of our faith. He alone secures the covenant of the Gospel. We are dependent on work that Christ has done, both on His behalf and on ours.
What did the Psalmists mean when they called God their shelter and stronghold?
Additional readings: Hebrews 8:6-10; Hebrews 6:13-20; Ezekiel 11:17-20; Ezekiel 36:25-27; 1 Corinthians 1; Romans 9:16; Jude 24,25; Philippians 1:6; Luke 4:18,19; Galatians 3:7-9; Romans 4
Video – Amazing Grace
Day 4 pt 1
a. The Covenant of Faith
1 Corinthians 1:30-31
" 30But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, 31so that, just as it is written, "LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD." "
In ancient culture, when a covenant was made between two men, animals were split in two and both men would walk in-between the animals signifying that if they did not keep covenant with the other person that they should be torn in two as the animals. In Romans 4 and Galatians 3:7-9, Paul refers to Genesis 15, where God makes a covenant with Abraham through faith. In Genesis 15, the animals were prepared and cut in two, but instead of both parties walking through the covenant, only God walks through the split animals. “As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him . . . When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces. On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram . . . .” Abraham was not capable of keeping covenant with God, so God was saying that He alone would keep the covenant both His part and Abraham’s part. God here was also saying that if He does not keep His part as well as Abraham’s part, “Let me be torn asunder”.
We have a God who in His love has made a covenant with us. Jeremiah 34:10 says, “’I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of Me in their hearts, that they may not turn from Me.’” (also read Hebrews 8:8-12). The Scripture says in Hebrews 12:2 “looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." So now we look to Jesus who alone bore the cross and who alone tore the veil and who alone upholds the covenant of Grace. He is not only the author, but He is also the perfecter of our faith. He alone secures the covenant of the Gospel. We are dependent on work that Christ has done, both on His behalf and on ours.
What did the Psalmists mean when they called God their shelter and stronghold?
Additional readings: Hebrews 8:6-10; Hebrews 6:13-20; Ezekiel 11:17-20; Ezekiel 36:25-27; 1 Corinthians 1; Romans 9:16; Jude 24,25; Philippians 1:6; Luke 4:18,19; Galatians 3:7-9; Romans 4
Video – Amazing Grace
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Communion
I led Communion (I believe for the first time) this Tuesday, October 16, 2007. This is the Lituragy I used.
One of the reasons I used a Literagy was because it could be about me talking or about us worshiping and declaring the goodness of God together. It was also great because I had different men lead out durring this.
I hope through this that you will be able to see that Christ is our righteousness, He alone is our rock; and that our dependence is on Him both for salvation, but also for sanctification; we bring nothing. When we realize that it is Him at work and that He has done the work, we can run with confidence toward our Beloved. His sacrifice is not just for our salvation, it is for our living, and our glorification. By faith we live.
Grace
Minister: We come here by grace;
People: being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness,” (Romans 3:23-25)
Minister: "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
People: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 6:23)
People: "But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation."
Minister: Our promise and salvation are sure for. . .
People: “He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:12-14)
Minister: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” (Romans 8:28-30)
Minister: Therefore since our righteousness if from Him, we have nothing to boast of,
People: "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. . . . may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Galations 2:20-21; 6:14)
Minister: “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:6-8)
People: “Therefore, . . . let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Community
The scripture says, “. . .in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13) Communion is taken in community. We are brought near to each other by the blood of Christ. It is by grace, and only grace, that we can live in community with each other.
Institution
Minister: Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.
People: Christ became flesh.
-----Christ has died.
-----Christ is risen.
-----Christ will come again.
Minister: Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us.
People: Therefore, let us keep the feast.
Minister: The gifts of God are for the people of God. Come eat and drink with thanksgiving.
People: Hallelujah!
Prayer of Blessing
Minister:
Breaking of the Bread
“and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." (1 Corinthians 11:24)
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Minister:
Wine
“In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:25-26)
Prayer of Longing
Minister:
One of the reasons I used a Literagy was because it could be about me talking or about us worshiping and declaring the goodness of God together. It was also great because I had different men lead out durring this.
I hope through this that you will be able to see that Christ is our righteousness, He alone is our rock; and that our dependence is on Him both for salvation, but also for sanctification; we bring nothing. When we realize that it is Him at work and that He has done the work, we can run with confidence toward our Beloved. His sacrifice is not just for our salvation, it is for our living, and our glorification. By faith we live.
Grace
Minister: We come here by grace;
People: being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness,” (Romans 3:23-25)
Minister: "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21).
People: “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” (Romans 6:23)
People: "But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation."
Minister: Our promise and salvation are sure for. . .
People: “He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.” (Hebrews 10:12-14)
Minister: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” (Romans 8:28-30)
Minister: Therefore since our righteousness if from Him, we have nothing to boast of,
People: "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. . . . may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” (Galations 2:20-21; 6:14)
Minister: “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:6-8)
People: “Therefore, . . . let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Community
The scripture says, “. . .in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” (Ephesians 2:13) Communion is taken in community. We are brought near to each other by the blood of Christ. It is by grace, and only grace, that we can live in community with each other.
Institution
Minister: Let us proclaim the mystery of faith.
People: Christ became flesh.
-----Christ has died.
-----Christ is risen.
-----Christ will come again.
Minister: Christ our Passover has been sacrificed for us.
People: Therefore, let us keep the feast.
Minister: The gifts of God are for the people of God. Come eat and drink with thanksgiving.
People: Hallelujah!
Prayer of Blessing
Minister:
Breaking of the Bread
“and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." (1 Corinthians 11:24)
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Minister:
Wine
“In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.” (1 Corinthians 11:25-26)
Prayer of Longing
Minister:
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