The Awesome Results of the Cross by David Holder (davhold@aol.com)
"God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Galatians 6:14 NKJV)
We have a deep and desperate problem with sin. We are guilty of it (Romans 3:23) and God is angry about it (Romans 1:17). By sin, we incur a penalty we cannot pay, bring on trouble from which we cannot rescue ourselves, and arouse God's anger we cannot appease. And wonder of wonders, God mercifully did for us what we could not do for ourselves...and He did it at the cross!
God made great and gracious provisions at the cross. Here Jesus
died for us, for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3). He died to bring
us to God (1 Peter 3:18). He died to pay the penalty we owe, to
taste death for us (Hebrews 2:9).
And the cross has lasting effects today, so many years after the
event. At least three results of Jesus' death demonstrate its
awesome power for all who follow the word of the cross.
The cross bears sin. Jesus "bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed" (1 Peter 2:24, cf. Isaiah 53:11). Today, whoever you are, whatever you've done, however far away you've gone from God, the cross magnificently offers redemption, justification, propitiation, and reconciliation. Read Romans 3:21-26 - repent, rejoice, and be redeemed!
The cross reveals God. The Father sent the Son to be the Savior
of the world (1 John 4:14), so the cross is about God as well
as Jesus. When God sacrificed His Son, we see:
· His incredible love: "God demonstrates His love
toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for
us" (Romans 5:8).
· His wisdom and power: "Christ crucified...the power
of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:23-24).
· His justice: "that He might be just and the justifier
of the one who has faith in Jesus" (Romans 3:26).
God didn't just look the other way as if sin doesn't matter. He took sin into account and paid its penalty that He might pardon and save sinners. What can any right-thinking person do but turn to God to love and obey Him?
The cross conquers evil. Victory is in Jesus (1 Corinthians 15:57). By His death, Jesus rendered the devil powerless (Hebrews 2:14-15) and made possible our glorious resurrection (1 Corinthians 6:14). These victories were decisively won at the cross. Isn't it time you centered your faith and life on the cross of Christ?
Dr. Robert G. Lee tells of an unforgettable experience when he visited Calvary on a tour of Israel. He was so excited in climbing the hill that he soon got ahead of his guide. As Lee reached the summit and stood at the place where the Lord died, the preacher's emotions were so stirred that his body started trembling. When at last the breathless guide caught up with him, he asked, "Sir, have you been here before?" For a moment there was a throbbing silence. Then in a whispered tone Dr. Lee replied, "Yes, I was here almost two thousand years ago." (Robert Coleman, Written in Blood, p. 26).
And so were you and so was I. Do you see your desperate need? Do you understand God's gracious provisions? Will you take hold of the awesome results by gratefully following Jesus?
What Can The Elderly Do? by Ira Lynn (ill@nts-online.net)
"O God, You have taught me from my youth; and to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and gray headed, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come" (Psalm 71:17-18).
Having just reached the time of life when I can buy twenty-five cent coffee at McDonalds and "enjoy" (too many) senior moments, I have been reflecting on the fears and concerns that come with aging. On a more serious note, it is a time when my wife and I are dealing with elderly parents.
Time, like Ol' Man River, just keeps rolling along----and it takes us with it. We get older whether we like it or not. Some deny it and try to convince themselves and others that old age is not approaching. But it is - and God intended for it to! All of us are aging. Some of us handle it well, we keep on going, we look forward to being at home with the Lord.
Yet, I do not know any people who absolutely relish the idea of getting old. It is a time of diminished capabilities. One older gentleman said, "I feel as good as I ever have until I try to get up from my chair." Things that used to be done are no longer possible. Feeble efforts abound. Older people, at least in our culture, find themselves to be fundamentally irrelevant. Their wisdom is not always welcome. They think about the lessons learned from the past among people who are caught up in the now. They want to contribute but fear they are in the way. The wise man tells us that aging is not for the fainthearted (Ecclesiastes 12:1-8).
So, what can the elderly person do? The aged Christian can think back over his life and thank God for His blessings during adversity; for all the good things that have come his way. I believe such thoughts will assure the troubled heart that God will not abandon His loved one now. Uncaring people might put an old person out to pasture, but the Lord will keep him in the picture.
An older person can be encouraged by the fact that he is a
living testimonial to the faithfulness of God. Listen to the psalmist
in 71:7, "I have become a marvel (an example) to many; for
thou art my strong refuge (protection, strength)." The life
of the psalmist had not been easy; had not always been smooth
(71:20). But, he has arrived safely! From a heart full of gratitude
he can make a powerful statement to "this generation"
(71:18). I believe that if more older people made such statements
(cf. Psalm 71) they would be surprised to find that many would
listen.
Elderly person---what can you do? Would you write some things
down? Could you pass on to future generations a lifetime of lessons
learned? Can you exude confidence even in the midst of aging with
all of its attendant ills? Are you still seeking to discover more
of God's purposes? Do you truly anticipate heaven? Such activities
and thoughts will help you to not be afraid. Live the rest of
your life for God's glory, and look forward to the best of life
to come in His presence.
Naaman -- The Commander Who Obeyed God by John M. Duvall
(http://www.truthfactor.com)
Many years ago, there was a commander in the Syrian army. This
commander's name was Naaman. The Bible says that Naaman was "great
and honorable man in the eyes of his master." Although Naaman
was a "mighty man of valor," he suffered from the problem
of leprosy. (II Kings 5:1-27)
Through the course of time, Naaman heard about a prophet in Samaria who could heal his leprosy. After learning of this prophet, Naaman traveled to Samaria. In Samaria, Naaman met Elisha, a prophet of the Lord. The prophet of the Lord sent word to Naaman saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be cleaned." (II Kings 5:10) When Naaman heard the instructions given by the prophet of the Lord, he became angry and went away. Naaman had reasoned that the prophet would come out and call upon the name of the Lord and wave his hand over the leprosy. Naaman also reasoned that the rivers of Damascus were better than the Jordan River and that he could wash in them and be cleaned. Fortunately for Naaman, his servants advised him that he should heed the words of the prophet. As a result, Naaman went to the river Jordan and dipped seven times in the river. After dipping seven times in the river Jordan, Naaman's flesh was clean of the leprosy. Because of this great miracle, Naaman determined to never again offer "burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord." (II Kings 5:17)
The lesson to be learned from Naaman is a simple lesson. In the beginning, Naaman rejected the instructions given by Elisha because they were not the instructions he was expecting. However, Naaman changed his mind and obeyed the word of the Lord. It was only then that Naaman was cleansed. We must also note that if Naaman had only dipped 5 times in the Jordan river, then he would not have been cleansed. In order to obey the Lord, Naaman had to obey completely. This is the lesson which people must learn today. Sadly, too many people reject plain Bible teaching because it is not what they were expecting. The Bible teaches of one body (church), one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, and one God. (Eph. 4:4-6) However, this truth does not fit the expectation of those who believe in many churches with many different faiths. If people would simply follow the example of Naaman by obeying the word of the Lord, then many more people would be saved today.
Just as Naaman was suffering from a physical illness, so you
may be suffering from a spiritual illness. If you are dead in
sin (Romans 6), then you need to follow the instructions of the
Savior in order to be made alive and clean. Naaman's instructions
were simple. Your instructions are simple. Jesus said, "He
who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not
believe will be condemned." (Mark 16:16, NKJV) Please choose
this day to believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and be
baptized for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38) Do this and
you shall be made clean.
Copyright © 2000, John M. Duvall, Truth Factor.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Our weekly services are held at 1318 Griffin Road, Leesburg, Florida
34748.
Phone: (352) 365-9946 for times of services.
Web site: http://www.geocities.com/~cdillinger/cocbs/cocbshp.htm
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
BIBLE INSIGHT is published
for the members of, and visitors to, the Church of Christ at Beverly
Shores, Leesburg, Florida, USA.
Carey Dillinger is the editor. He can be reached at the church
address or via e-mail: dillinc@yahoo.com