A Pasted Love, A Present Love, An Everlasting Love
December 27, 2020
Revelation 1:4-7
John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.
How do you view Christianity?
How do you view Christ?
Christianity is viewed as a historical truth but not germane to our life. It is theology to be discussed but is not seen as relevant to us. Act 17:22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. Act 17:23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
Superstitious means they were very religious – devotions were their acts of worship - TO THE UNKNOWN GOD was THE GOD they did not know.
We live in a religious world – It was the religious World that crucified Christ. Act 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Act 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; Where did Paul get this thought? He got it from what he heard and from what he saw. He got it from the sermon of Stephen who he watched die at the hands of Religion, Act 7:48 -50 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? Hath not my hand made all these things?
God uses things we have heard and seen to brings us to hear the Gospel.
If you evaluated your life in the light of the LIGHT of the World, what would you find? When we go into a dark room we reach for the light switch and the light reveals the contents of the room. Psa_18:28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness. Pro_20:27 The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts of the belly.
People are so busy talking about their faith that they carve out a religion that fits their circumstances. To put the name of Jesus on it does not make it the Gospel. You often hear, "It is my faith that got me through". And I want to ask faith in what or faith in who. I have always said, "I am not going to heaven because of my faith! I am going to heaven because of Christ for He is the One who saved me, "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood," And He is the ONE in whom I am believing.
He is the ONE who wants you to be saved. The Bible says He is not willing that you should perish but that all should come to the knowledge of the truth. 1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. Special emphasis is given to Him for what HE has already done. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, It is a past tense work but a present tense Love.
The work of the Cross is done in the past. More than two thousand years ago Christ died on the Cross and there is nothing that can be added to that work and the gospel message is about that work. Some things we need to know about that work done on the Cross.
The Work of the Cross though done in the past has a present-day love and power. Unto Him who loves us still. His Love is ever-present, And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
who is the faithful witness. The faithful witness = to all that God has promised. Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. Jesus is going to bear witness to the truth of the Cross.
The Crucifixion has passed, the Resurrection has passed and the Second Coming is yet future, and here is the praise ascribed to Christ, Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
Here is the message of the Gospel to us. Christ is not a dead theology but a Living Saviour. We read that as if His Love for us stopped back at the Cross, "unto Him that loved us". It is a present tense Love. "Unto Him who loves us" – "Unto Him that Loveth" This the only place in the N.T, that His love is so described in this manner as a continuing Love.
Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. Who are His own? Those who believed on Him.
What He did on the Cross allows you to believe on Him for Eternal Life. The Gospel has the same truth and power today as it did then two thousand years ago. So, you have the promise from the One standing as though He had been slain, Revelation 5:7 "and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, …" That One standing is Jesus and you have His promise of everlasting life, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. He is the One that paid the price for our sin and that price was being slaughtered and He bears in His body the wounds of the crucifixion.
Christ is the ONE who forgives the believer and restores to fellowship. I do not know of any other story that shows His continuing love any better than in Luke 15 And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
Have you wandered away from the LORD? Do you doubt His Love and care for you today? Do you think you are beyond His grace and power and forgiveness? Listen to His Promise to you, 1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The promise is about Him and His faithfulness.
What about our life and the way we are to live? Go with me to 1 Cor. 13: Charity is mention six times and is referred to multiple times "Charity," is agape the highest form of love. It is God's love. If you look in 1 Cor. 13: and you see how the Love of God is expressed in our life, 1Co 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 1Co 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 1Co 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 1Co 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 1Co 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 1Co 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. The highest form of Love is the Love of God and it is expressed in a manner that refers to as Charity. The Bible says because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
John 21:15-19
Temporal gifts pass away but these acts [called charity – agape love] done toward others have eternal value in their life and yours. The Bible says, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. It is the demonstration of God's Love. It is about the Love of God being demonstrated in our life as a believer in 2021.
Do you see Him as the ONE who someday you will meet face to face?
Illustration of the Building Contractor: His rich friend contracted him to build a mansion. The Contractor decided to use inferior material thinking no one would ever know. So, on the outside, everything looked ok and the contractor knew his rich friend would never know. When the job was done. His rich friend said I wanted a job well done I am giving this house to my friend and he handed the contractor the keys to his new home.
he inherited the fruit of his own unfaithfulness
Some will inherit the fruit of their own unbelief
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