I want to use this opportunity to give a "shout-out" to all those who help make the children's plays each year so beneficial to our church. I will not name people in this post, but you all know who you are and know that I am grateful for you.
To the author of the plays I want you to know you have a great gift to be able to communicate the truth of the gospel in a medium that involves many people and reaches many people. This gift is from God and I am so grateful that you use it in the context of our local church.
To the people who help backstage I am grateful for your tireless dedication to be at practices and to learn the movements required to be able to change the scenery and the costumes so that things roll along seamlessly. You will not likely get the credit that you deserve but you are a big part of the success. This is also true for those who help make treats for the practices and work alongside the author/director to assist.
To the people who work to make the sound the best it can possibly be I admire how hard you work to do a job for which you get paid nothing (which is far less than what is deserved!) I heard that this play was the easiest to hear out of all of the plays that have been done. Well done!
To the kids who memorize their lines and take the instructions given - you did a really good job! You clearly communicated the most important message people will ever hear in a way that has the potential to impact people for years to come.
Our church is tremendously blessed to have such a gift twice a year and I am so thankful to be able to be involved and support this ministry in whatever ways God allows.
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
"I establish my covenant with you"
I was reading the story of Noah this morning and noticed the number of times that God points out that it is He that is making this covenant with Noah. We know that Noah was a righteous man, but God does not say that He makes this covenant because of Noah. We notice that it is God who promises that He will not judge the earth via a flood again. God initiates the action of redemption and salvation.
This theme is consistent through the rest of Scripture. Some of the covenants that are made will be conditional in that they will require action on the part of man, but many of these covenants made with humanity are not. We as New Testament believers are under a covenant - the New Covenant.
Luke 22:20 reminds us that "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood." The work of Christ on the cross initiates a new covenant. This is all accomplished by the work of Christ and not by any work of our own. Ours is to simply act in faith to respond to the gift freely offered. Notice that this covenant was sealed with the very blood of Christ. We are purchased, bought, redeemed, cleansed, made holy, made righteous, forgiven, adopted, and much more by this precious blood. God has made a faithful promise that all those who come under the blood of Christ are bonded to the Father by the sacrifice of the Son. The Spirit of God reminds of this reality from the core of who we are.
What a blessing to have the Triune God testifying to our salvation! God has given us so much, how can we not, having truly been saved by the blood, respond in worship and obedience?
This theme is consistent through the rest of Scripture. Some of the covenants that are made will be conditional in that they will require action on the part of man, but many of these covenants made with humanity are not. We as New Testament believers are under a covenant - the New Covenant.
Luke 22:20 reminds us that "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood." The work of Christ on the cross initiates a new covenant. This is all accomplished by the work of Christ and not by any work of our own. Ours is to simply act in faith to respond to the gift freely offered. Notice that this covenant was sealed with the very blood of Christ. We are purchased, bought, redeemed, cleansed, made holy, made righteous, forgiven, adopted, and much more by this precious blood. God has made a faithful promise that all those who come under the blood of Christ are bonded to the Father by the sacrifice of the Son. The Spirit of God reminds of this reality from the core of who we are.
What a blessing to have the Triune God testifying to our salvation! God has given us so much, how can we not, having truly been saved by the blood, respond in worship and obedience?
Tuesday, April 3, 2018
The Judgment of God
The title of today's blog is not a popular thought. Most would want the 2nd word replaced with love. After all, we argue, does not God love all of us? The answer of course is Yes. But that does not negate the judgment of God. Easter is a reminder that God sent His Son to be judged on our behalf. But if we choose to ignore this, we do so to our peril.
"How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified and has insulted the Spirit of grace." Hebrews 10:29(NASB)
If we ignore the work that Christ has done for us, and specifically if we ignore it to the point that we know it and understand our need for it and then go on sinning willfully (See verse 26), we are stomping upon God's gracious gift.
Can you imagine the feelings of someone who loved you enough to give you a thoughtful gift? Imagine their horror when you take that gift and without truly even opening it, you place it upon the ground and stomp it to bits. Imagine if that gift is the salvation offered in Christ. What is God to do when you openly reject His offer of salvation. But we forget, or willfully ignore these passages of Scripture that remind us just how serious the offer of salvation is. Life and death offers contain life and refusing to accept them leads to death. The author of Hebrews reminds us of this truth that is contained in the pages of Scripture. We want a God who is cuddly and soft and warm and cute. And Hebrews reminds us that this is not the God whom we serve.
"It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:31 (NASB)
Perhaps those of us reading this who have not surrendered our lives to God would do well to remember the terror of God! And those of us who are surrendered to Christ would do well to remember that we have a crucial gospel message that must be proclaimed to save sinners from the hands of an angry God. (my thanks to Jonathan Edwards for this line)
"How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified and has insulted the Spirit of grace." Hebrews 10:29(NASB)
If we ignore the work that Christ has done for us, and specifically if we ignore it to the point that we know it and understand our need for it and then go on sinning willfully (See verse 26), we are stomping upon God's gracious gift.
Can you imagine the feelings of someone who loved you enough to give you a thoughtful gift? Imagine their horror when you take that gift and without truly even opening it, you place it upon the ground and stomp it to bits. Imagine if that gift is the salvation offered in Christ. What is God to do when you openly reject His offer of salvation. But we forget, or willfully ignore these passages of Scripture that remind us just how serious the offer of salvation is. Life and death offers contain life and refusing to accept them leads to death. The author of Hebrews reminds us of this truth that is contained in the pages of Scripture. We want a God who is cuddly and soft and warm and cute. And Hebrews reminds us that this is not the God whom we serve.
"It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Hebrews 10:31 (NASB)
Perhaps those of us reading this who have not surrendered our lives to God would do well to remember the terror of God! And those of us who are surrendered to Christ would do well to remember that we have a crucial gospel message that must be proclaimed to save sinners from the hands of an angry God. (my thanks to Jonathan Edwards for this line)
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