The rejection of Jesus by Israel ushered in the dispensation of grace for the Gentiles. In the fullness of time Israel will complete their destiny as the chosen people of God.
Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. The New King James Version (Matthew 7:12).
Ephesians 1:12-14 that we who first trusted in Christ should be to the praise of His glory. 13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
What is required of us to enter into the Body of Christ? It is our total faith in the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus to take away our sin reconciling us to our holy God. We trust in Him to do what we cannot. After we believe we are sealed in Holy Spirit for the glory of God. Faith alone pleases the Father.
Hebrews 9:22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
The holy blood of Jesus, all God-all man, cleanses us from sin and restores our relationship with God. There is no one righteous but Him. In the finished work of the Cross we are saved.
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
Satan is an angel of light and he is a manipulator of the minds of men. He only wants to destroy us and our faith in Jesus. We need to stand in the protection of Holy Spirit, who from the moment that we believe, guards our minds and hearts in the truth. Greater is He in us than he that is in the world. Salvation is the unmerited and undeserved grace of God to His creation to all of us who believe in Jesus the Christ by faith.
The grace of God in Jesus the Christ, His gift of salvation without works, is not accepted by many. Jesus is the only way to life. There is no one righteous, no, not one but Jesus. In His righteousness we can stand before our holy triune God without condemnation. Carla
Paul’s gospel to the Corinthians centered on the physical death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God who became human yet never sinned (Galatians 1:6–10). Paul had started the Corinthian church; the gospel that the Corinthians had originally received came from him (2:2). Paul did not originate the proclamation of Jesus that he delivered to the Corinthians; he simply gave the Corinthians what he himself had received. He viewed himself as a link in a long chain of witnesses to the truth of the death and resurrection of Christ. Christ died for our sins. Christ’s death dealt decisively with our sins. He suffered in our place to endure the just wrath of God against us. Christ lived and died in accordance with the prophecies about Him in the Old Testament (Psalms 16:10; Isaiah 53:8–10).
The Resurrection verifies the fact that Christ’s death paid the full price for sin. The Greek term translated rose here is in the perfect tense, emphasizing the ongoing effects of this historical event. Christ is a risen Savior today. The NKJ Study Bible
Paul gives a brief sketch of the gospel he preached. Believers experience salvation in part now (in the sense of beginning their relationship with Christ without the burden of sin standing between them and God), but this salvation will be complete when Christ returns and they are unified with God for eternity (Philippians 1:6).
Paul emphasizes the continuity of his message with the early church’s teaching. Jesus is the Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecy. He was buried signifies the confirmation and finality of death. He appeared refers to a physical sighting of Christ with his eyes—not merely a vision. Faithlife Study Bible
Isaiah 53:1–12
Who has believed our report?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,
And as a root out of dry ground.
He has no form or comeliness;
And when we see Him,
There is no beauty that we should desire Him…
Acts 26:22–23 Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come—that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”
Acts 2:24–32 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. For David says concerning Him:‘I foresaw the LORD always before my face,For He is at my right hand, that I may not be shaken…
Psalm 16:8–11
I have set the LORD always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope…
Hosea 6:2
After two days He will revive us;
On the third day He will raise us up,
That we may live in His sight.
We are empowered to repair and heal the world where it touches us, the small world—the people—close by, the daily, those ordinary resting places for our heart.
“Love is the only way to rescue humanity from all ills.” Tolstoy wrote at the end of his life in his forgotten correspondence with Gandhi about human nature and why we hurt each other, as the global tensions that would soon erupt into World War I were building.
How? I have an idea. Back to our small world: Let’s start one meal at a time.
“For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick, and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.
Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” (Gospel of Matthew)
Every small (gentle, intentional, kind) gesture, effort, touch means the world.
It honors a world where we say to one another, “I see you.”
“Did I offer peace today?
Did I bring a smile to someone's face?
Did I say words of healing?
Did I let go of my anger and resentment?
Did I forgive?
Did I love?
These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.”
Thank you, Henri Nouwen.
There is a light inside of every one of us. Sabbath Moments
Jesus is clear that worldly power is not what His Kingdom is about: "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world" (John 18:36). So instead of seeking the blessing, power, position or wealth we see as necessary for fulfilling God's plan, maybe we would do better to pause and ask, How do You, Lord, want to build Your Kingdom through my life? First5
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