October 21, 2018
The LORD is so anxious for us to understand the depth and scope of the Cross that He uses every word conceivable to express His Salvation to us. Look at these three (3) great invitation found in the Bible: Isaiah 55: 1-2, Isaiah 1:18 and Matthew 11:28-30. E.G. 55:1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Matt. 11:28-29 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Have you ever noticed the people who respond to His invitation: the needy, the thirsty, the poor, the sick, the lame, the blind, the brokenhearted, the one locked in the prison house of despair, the hopeless, the outcast, the common of this earth responds to His pleading. The world by its wisdom wants the powerful, the prosperous, the self-righteous but they have no help for the one caught in sins wicked snare. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Luke 19:10
In Matthew 27:18 -24 you find the sad story of Pilate. He knew Christ was innocent – his wife warned him – he feared the people, He even asked: "…What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?..." " Mat 27:22 Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? They all say unto him, Let him be crucified. Mat 27:23 And the governor said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, You may go to Heaven:
Without health, without wealth;
Without fame, without a great name;
Without learning, without earnings;
Without culture, without beauty;
Without friends and
Without ten thousand other things—
But he can NEVER go to Heaven without Christ. from - mwtb.org/products/a-man-may-go-to-heaven?variant=2601070337
Let me add you can go to heaven without understanding all prophecy – You may gain all the knowledge of the world but that won't get you into heaven. You may be successful and achieve the praise of this world for your achievements but that won't get you into heaven. And if you do all these things, it will only be because of the goodness of The Heavenly Father but that won't get you into heaven Jas_1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. You were made in the image of God and your abilities, creative powers, and mental comprehension is from Him.
You may win the lottery but that won't get you into heaven nor will it solve your problems. Our problems run deep and they are the result of sin.
When John said, Joh_1:29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. That word "Behold" is a word of invitation to consider:
1) Who is He – He is God made like unto us = God became a man – The God-Man = The Son of Man.
2) Why did He become a man – To take away the sin of the world – To be the Lamb of God taken from among men
- Why did He die on the cross – To pay our sin debt - Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 1Pe_2:24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. On the Cross Jesus said, And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mat_27:46 At that moment, He tasted death for every person, He was paying the wages of sin, eternal separation from God.
What is the Sin of the World? – We are born with the sin nature (in the sin of unbelief) and must be born from above.
Joh 3:3 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. Joh 3:6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
I want us to go back to John 1:29 and look at the word sin – It does not say sins – You say, well that little s does not make any difference but yes it does! See Gal_3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
So a letter can make all the difference in the world. Mat_5:18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Psa 12:6 The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Psa 12:7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever,
Christ died for all our sins, 1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
The penalty for sin is death, Romans 5:12, Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: Spiritual death is eternal separation from God. Because of our sin nature, we are born separated from God and must be born again.
Christ died to save us from Spiritual Death, And He died that we could be victorious in our life
When you are born again you are given the life of God, He indwells and seals you, (Eph.1:14) e.g. 1Jn 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. That is the new man God has given you.
Jesus is our forerunner, our anchor and our High Priest! (You remember the drawing of Bro. Bernie? ) Christ took us and anchored us into heaven, the very presence of God. That chain tied to that anchor represents our life, Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation (encouragement), who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Heb.6:17-18
Christ the giver of Everlasting life and our High Priest
Exo_17:6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
Num_20:11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
The rock (Christ) 1Co_10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ: once smitten, needs not to be smitten (Crucified again.) In other words, after receiving eternal life, you have a Saviour you can speak too. You are one with Him
Both Rocks are a type of Christ. The one speaks to us about being born again. (Exo. 17:6). The other speaks to us about our life, our daily fellowship with Him.
When we are saved we have a Saviour, John 13: 1-10; I John 1:7 -2:2. Christ died to save us from Spiritual Death, And He died that we could be victorious in our life.
He saved us to serve, Eph. 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
- He found Peter and restored him to service and told Peter to "…follow thou me" Joh 21:19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me. John 21:22 Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.
- We are told to run the race set before us, Heb. 12:1-2 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- We are to value the payment of the reward, 2 Tim 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us
He is a Saviour that gives to you Eternal Life. Joh 6:47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.
He is a Saviour that will never leave you nor forsake you, Phil. 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
He is a Saviour that will reward you for honoring/ respecting Him, Psa. 103:17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children; Psa 103:18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.
What should you do?
Believe you are important to the LORD, Jer_1:5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; ……" Two people may choose the time of a relationship but it is God who gave you life. You are important to the LORD.
Pray about your life and ask Christ to bless you and know that He hears your prayer.
Wait on the LORD and put Him first even if it means denying yourself. 1Sa 2:30 Wherefore the LORD God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the LORD saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.
All of God's promises are without any deceit, Heb 6:17 Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: Heb 6:18 That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: They are not words without meanings but The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever. They mean exactly what they say and a great deal more. God always gives more than one ask for or hope for, Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Eph. 3:20. You need not hesitate to buy by faith that which God has promised you. "How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed". His promises not only endure for a season but for all eternity! You need not make haste in the time of great need for great is His faithfulness.
Isa 55:2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Isa 55:3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live;……"
I read that the word "come" Six hundred and forty-two times (642), in the Bible. Since God used the word "Come" then "come" is the response that is needed by you. And it matters not if is 642 times or just one time, the question remains: have you come?
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