By His Stripes We Are Healed

 

1 Peter 2:24; Jesus bore our sins on the cross that we might be reconciled to God.

Whose Sin Is Forgiven?

Psalm 32:1-7 KJV; 1st Sunday in Lent; We confess our sins and thank God for Jesus who died to take away our sins.

 

Reconciled To God

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 KJV; Reconciled to God through the blood shed on the cross.

Our Souls Rejoice

Luke 1:46-47 KJV; As many rejoiced in God our Savior, so do we.

Wake Up

Romans 13:8-10 KJV; 1st Sunday of Advent; Wake up and learn to love one another.

He Was Willing To Die For Our Sake

1 John 2:1-2 KJV; Jesus Christ the righteous was willing to take our sins up himself and be executed for our sakes.

Our Adoption Was Costly

Galatians 4:4-7 KJV; Our adoption cost Jesus his life.

We Follow Jesus To The Cross

Ash Wednesday; Joel 2:12-19 KJV; We repent as we follow Jesus to the cross and comprehend all he has done for us by dying for our sins.

Peace Be With You

Luke 24:36-49 KJV: 3rd Sunday of Easter; After all that he had been put through, Jesus blesses his followers with peace.

By Faith Not Works

Romans 3:20-28 KJV; We are saved by faith in the work of Jesus the Christ on the cross for us and not by the work of our own hands.

The King Comes On A Donkey

Zechariah 9:9-12 KJV; Palm Sunday; Jesus' enters Jerusalem for the last time as in a few days times he will die there hung on the cross. 

Speaking Against God

Numbers 21:4-9 KJV; 4th Sun of Lent; Repent for things can get even worse than they were. 

In Order To Live We Must Die

Mark 8:27-38 KJV; 2nd Sunday in Lent; Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. 

He Humbled Himself

 

Philippians 2 Apr 6 2022

Will You Lay Down Your Life For Me?

Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.

Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.

Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice. 

                                                                                  (John 13:26-38 KJV)

How will we answer the question that Jesus asked of Peter. "Will you lay down your life for me?"

We make so many commitments. We plan to do so much including share the love of God in Christ Jesus with all people. Yet, we often fall short. Peter loved Jesus. He fully intended to be a faithful follower. He wanted to. But, he was not ready to follow Jesus to his death. Not yet, anyway. This faithful follower would desert Jesus when Jesus was arrested and taken to his trial and execution. In the end though, Peter did follow Jesus as Peter was crucified on a cross for his faith thirty some years following the crucifixion of Jesus.

Jesus loves you so much that he was willing to lay down his life for you. Will you take up your cross and follow? Will you lay down your life for him?

“When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

God's Peace - Pr. J

Freedom To Serve

All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. (1 Cor 10:23 KJV)

Just because something is lawful or maybe we can just get away with it does not mean it's a good thing for us or anyone else. Protests are lawful; but, when they get out of hand destroying the property of lives of others they definitely do not edify anything. They do not help us grow as a community or country. They only divide us and bring more problems.

As Christians, we know that we are free in Christ; but, we also know that by his ultimate sacrifice we have been freed to serve God and one another. As Christians, we ought to consider if our actions; although, they may serve and please us, do they help anyone else in any way or do they harm the people around us?

When Jesus died on the cross he died for us. He gave the ultimate gift of his life so that we might live life and not destroy one another.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Jesus Preached

And when it was day, he departed and went into a desert place: and the people sought him, and came unto him, and stayed him, that he should not depart from them.

And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cities also: for therefore am I sent.

And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee. 

                                                                            (Luke 4:42-44 KJV)

We have received so many gifts from God that we cannot even begin to count them. We give thanks to God for all of these gifts; known and unknown.

We, who were separated by our sins from God, are now reconciled to God in His Kingdom through the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for us. 

Jesus said that he was sent to preach the Kingdom of God. That is the Good News that he was sent to deliver to us. The Good News is that he not only preached it; he made it a reality for all who believe. 

Do not be deceived. This Kingdom is not just for after we die physical deaths. Life in this Kingdom, reconciled to God, is for today as well. That is the Good News! That is the Gospel of our Lord, Jesus the Christ!

The kingdom of God has come and we, by faith, in our Lord, Jesus the Christ, are residents of that kingdom. Yes, we live in this world; but, all who believe also live in the Kingdom and under the gracious rule of God our Father, the Lord Jesus the Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let us live life reconciled to God and in communion with all of our brothers and sisters in Christ now and for all of eternity! Let us share this Good News so that all might live in his presence and peace!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Just Shall Live By Faith

So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

                                                                                  (Rom 1:15-17 KJV)

Paul was eventually taken to Rome where he would be executed. He was fully prepared to go to his death if it afforded him the opportunity to share the Good News of Christ. This man who once put fear in the hearts of men was not afraid to die in order that by faith all who believe in the life giving death of Jesus the Christ would be found righteous in the eyes of God. All who believe; no matter who they are or what they had done, who receive life in the eternal presence of God.

It is not because he proclaimed the Good News that Paul is considered righteous before God. He proclaimed the Good News because he knew that he was considered righteous by faith in the One who loved him so much that he was willing to die for him.

Paul took Jesus' words literally. "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:23) By faith alone in Christ alone, Paul gave up his old life to follow Jesus even to his own execution.

Let us not be ashamed or afraid to share the gospel of Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation for all who believes!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

The Messiah; The Christ; Follow Him

And it came to pass, as he was alone praying, his disciples were with him: and he asked them, saying, Whom say the people that I am?

They answering said, John the Baptist; but some say, Elias; and others say, that one of the old prophets is risen again.

He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? Peter answering said, The Christ of God. 

                              (Luke 9:18-20 KJV)

Who is this Jesus? Jesus wanted to know who his disciples thought he was. Peter confessed that Jesus was and is the Christ; the Savior sent by God. Do you also believe this? If you do, what are you going to do about it? Will you share that Good News? Will you follow Him? Will you be His disciple?

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels. (Luke 9:23-26)

Following Jesus is not an easy road. But, Christ went before us and is still with us on the journey so I'm thinking following Him is the best journey to undertake. He is after all, the Messiah; the Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J

For The Sake Of Others

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:12-13 KJV)

Jesus gave us the commandment to love one another. Then he showed us how much we should be willing to love by dying on the cross for us. 

Today is Memorial Day; the day we remember the many that died so that others might live in freedom; freedom to worship; freedom to speak the truth; freedom to live without persecution. They died to preserve freedoms here at home and around the world. They died not just for their friends; but, for people they did not even know. 

Today is a day not just to remember what they have sacrificed for us; but, maybe it should be a day to ask ourselves what we would be willing to give for love and for the sake of others. Would we give up our own safety for the sake of the well-being of others? Sadly, from what I am seeing in this country today; many would not. Safety, it seems, too often comes before serving those in need. 

As we remember the fallen today, let us thank God for the men and women who have loved humanity so much that they were willing to give their lives for us. 

Today as we thank God for the sacrifice that the many made so that we could enjoy our freedoms; let us not neglect to thank God for the sacrifice of His Son on the cross for us. Let us thank God, for Jesus who showed us what it means to truly love one another.

God's Peace - Pr. J.