Confession that leads to forgiveness

 

Meditation from Isaiah 64,65

I enjoy the good promises from the Bible, but here, like other places we have words of confession of sin. Even the gracious Lord Jesus exposed sin as a root problem in all humanity – Mark 7:21

Isaiah 64:5

“But we are not godly. We are constant sinners, so Your anger Lord is heavy upon us. How can people like us be saved? We are all infected and impure with sin. When we proudly display our righteous deeds, we find they are but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall. And our sins, like the wind, sweep us away. Yet no one calls on your name, or pleads with you for mercy. Therefore You have turned away from us and turned us over to our sins.”

Then the prophet takes the humble place “We are the clay,  You are the potter….”

Then the LORD says (Chapter 65) : “People who never before inquired about Me are asking about Me. I am being found by people who were not looking for Me. To them I have said “I am here”.

I opened my arms to My own people but……………”

And so the good news for repentant sinner holds true:

‘Whoever will call upon the Name of the LORD will be saved ‘ (Romans 10:13) . 

 Let us take time to confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1John 1) .

It is not the purpose of God for us to live in morbid introspection, but it is healthy to humble ourselves and see the situation as by the holy vision of the Lord.

Peter wrote “God resists the proud, and gives grace to the humble.” 

   (1 Peter 5)

The change God can make

 

As I return to my work with migrants the following Bible verse gives encouragement. Many have suffered much and lost much. But now they have an opportunity for good change. Best of all the opportunity to have God’s love, joy  and peace.

Isaiah chapter 61:

God gives beauty for ashes

Joy instead of mourning

Praise instead of despair

The Lord God through our Lord Jesus Christ is in the work of recovering wasted and crushed lives.

Are you one of those -  seek HIM today !

Heaven's activity

 

Present activity in heaven.

“Seek those things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God …… you also will appear with Him in glory.” (Colossians 3)

Heaven seems a far off place – especially when we are too distracted by the things of this world. (love not the things of this world or the things that are in the world 1 John 2).

Heaven is a place of constant activity – every time a sinner repents and turns to the Lord God, the angels celebrate. (that means more than 2000 times each week).

It is a place of ultimate authority and the one who sits on the throne is aware of all things on earth. Remember Jesus said “My Father knows”. The patience of God, waiting for people to repent is amazing. He will decide when enough is enough, and will send out the angels as reapers in the harvest of the earth.

In heaven, our Lord Jesus Christ, is consciously attending to the prayers of His people.  With deep understanding and sympathy He enables the Holy Spirit to work in and for His beloved people.  For those who fail and fall, He intercedes as an advocate -  pleading the value of His once offered sacrifice to gain forgiveness and restoration for the wanderers.

Heaven is also involved in the conflict against evil. Satan accuses and persecutes the believers. The Lord Jesus, who sits on the right hand of the majesty on high, is well able to put him in place.

Most interesting -  in heaven the Exalted Christ is seen not as a despotic king in heaven, but as one with the purity and meekness of a Lamb.

And so the chorus echoes through the heights of heaven:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honour and glory and blessing forever and ever” (Revelation 5)

So much more could be written about activity in heaven – I encourage you to go search for yourself.

Alive and active

 

What makes the promises of the past have any value in the present?

For example, Jesus promised that his sheep would never perish! (John 10)

The promise is only true if the person who made the promise is alive , powerful and active. Otherwise it is a hoax.

And that’s just the reason, that the statement of Revelation chapter one is so significant.  The Lord Jesus Christ said:

“Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forever more, and I have the keys of death and hell.”

Because He lives, the present and future security of His sheep is secure. No one can snatch them out of His hand.

Among the many things happening in heaven, this gives great assurance to all believers, that the living Lord cares, and will keep His promises.

Trust in the Lord and don’t despair

He is a friend so true

No matter what your troubles are

Jesus will see you through.

Death Of Jesus Christ the Lord

 

Why is the death of Jesus Christ the Lord so important?

 

1.   1  It is mentioned directly by the prophet Isaiah and David. It is typified in the sacrifices of Abraham and Moses.

2.  2  Jesus Himself said He would be killed. He also explained before it happened that His death had a greater purpose – Forgiveness, ransom, and as the Good Shepherd He would lay down His life for His sheep.

3.   3 His death highlighted the brokenness of human nature – religious men refused to accept His claim to be “the Son of the Blessed” and condemned Him to die. The Roman judge, sent to crucifixion, one he had declared innocent. The crowd disregarded what great and good things He had done, calling for Him to be given the worst kind of death – crucifixion – so cruel in so many ways. How depraved mankind was and is.

4.   4The teaching of the Apostles by the Holy Spirit was clear, that this death had a distinct purpose –

Peter :  Jesus  as the Lamb of God paid the price to bring people back to God (1 Peter 1,3)

John: Fellowship with God is based on the cleansing (forgiveness) by the blood of Jesus Christ God’s Son. (1 John 1,2)

Philip: Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 53 ‘His life is taken from the earth’ to become the risen intercessor for all who believe in Him.

Paul: God showed His great love toward us  - “while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5)

---- and so much more…….

 

I venture an illustration  (true parable)

I received a speeding fine in the mail! But I was not in the vehicle. My son was driving my car. One might have challenged the camera operator, or gone to court to argue that no-one was in danger. Or I could plead for pardon (which is possible in Australia).

But no – I made a choice to pay the debt and incur the demerit points myself – thus letting my son go free even though he was the guilty one.

Jesus knew too well how offensive my disobedience, disrespect, failure to worship, my sin…,   was to God . But He, in the person of Jesus, chose to pay the fine and let me go free! In gratitude I love Him and follow Him.

Indeed God has the prerogative to forgive, but He chose to liberate the guilty by suffering the penalty HIMSELF – the wages of sin is death, and Jesus Christ died for our sins. (1 Corinthians 15)

 5 The words of Jesus, many years after , are very significant:

“Fear not, I am the fist and the last, I am He that lives, and was dead; and behold I am alive for evermore, Amen, and have the keys of hell and death”   (Revelation 1:17). {so full of meaning – pause to ponder}

6  The death of Jesus justifies the holiness of God – He forgives – “the Just one dying for the unjust” (1 Peter3:18)

7  The death of Jesus makes judgement day more terrifying for unbelievers :- judged for sin that could have been forgiven, judged for rejecting  Jesus the Son of God, judged by the very person who died to offer complete salvation. (Revelation 20,  John 5,  Acts 17).

8 Today is the great day of salvation:

“To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His Name, whoever believes in Him shall receive forgiveness of sins.” (Peter – Acts 10:43)

johnmckee@internode.on.net

The empty tomb

 

An empty tomb.

Does it matter?  Yes and no!

No – we have on good authority the good news that by His death and resurrection all can be forgiven. By His resurrection the gift of eternal life is certain.

 

Yes – to know that Jesus died on Golgotha (Calvary) is important. {Islam denies it}.  The prophecies of the Old Testament Prophets, the predictions of Jesus, the records of historians, the writings of witnesses,  all testify that Jesus actually died. The Lord Jesus Himself gave the purpose.

“The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep”  John 10

Yes -To be assured that Jesus lives is fundamental. {denied by atheists, agnostics, infidels, naturalists}. If Jesus is dead, all hope is lost. But no one could produce the body of Jesus. The Roman guards, the Jewish detractors or anyone. The disciples were powerless and afraid. Only the women had the courage to try to anoint the body of the once crucified Lord.

-        To them the Angels said “ He is risen….” (Luke 24) shortly afterward the disciples said “we have seen the Lord”. The Lord Jesus Himself said to them – “look at my hands and my feet….”

-        As the Lord Jesus ascended up into the clouds, two angels announced to the puzzled disciples :

“This same Jesus taken away from you into heaven, He will return”  (Acts 1).

 

I have not been to Jerusalem to see the empty tomb. God has not given us many authentic items from the life of the Lord Jesus – no books, no clothing, no paintings – why?? - lest we worship them. Even the original writings of the Apostles as lost – again lest people worship the book instead of the Lord. {as happens in several religions}. The verification of the Bible is clear from the 5000 portion and copies.  The experience of knowing personally, the living Lord Jesus by the Holy Spirit is very real – He is very much alive.

The fulfillment of prophecy points to the return of one glorious person – Jesus, the Son of God, Jesus the lamb of God that was slain.

The word spoken to John is very appropriate:

“I am He the liveth, that was dead and behold I am alive forever more”

  (Revelation 1)

Who shall I vote for

 

Elections

Many people for many reasons are calling for voters, to vote for them. And some with good intentions.

But across the world , inequalities and greed seem to spoil democracies. Dictatorships are crumbling and chaos seems to be the order of the day . Propaganda  causes one to despair of knowing the truth of the matter.  Is there any hope?

Yes – the greatest lawgiver of all time was known as the meekest man on all the earth – Moses. Why so? – because he communicated the law for God = ‘under God’.

Yes – the greatest rescuer, deliverer, restorer of all time , humbled Himself to serve God and man  --  Jesus.  That one solitary life has brought hope, peace and purpose to more people around the world, than any other.

Voters look for a ‘strongman’. For brave ideologists, for articulate orators, for those who will benefit them most.

The Lord Jesus stooped to heal the sick, stopped to bless the children, went out of His way to rescue a stranger, disregarded His reputation in declaring the truth, didn’t shy away from suffering for the salvation of lost people.

 A leader?  Yes but so much more:

He gave moral teaching for society and as a leading shepherd He laid down His life for wayward sheep.  He cared most for the greater need for people to be reconnected with God.  His greatest gift was eternal life available to all who truly believe in Him.