2 Corinthians 5:20-21: Ambassadors For Christ: So, You are an ambassador? An ambassador indeed, simply because of what God Almighty, through Jesus Christ has done. For God has made Jesus to be sin for you and me. He never knew sin, never committed any sin. He was even bold enough to face his accusers and ask them; Which one of them could really convince him that he had committed any sin?No one was able, yet he was falsely arrested, accused, tried, beaten, mocked and crucified. Within the space of less than 24 hours all these treatments were given to him. He suffered injustice and the mockery of an illegal trial, which condemned him to die as though he were the worst offender. He died alongside condemned, hardened criminals. He was sensitive enough to hear the inward heart-cry of one of the thieves dying beside him! Because that theif repented at the last passing moments of his life Jesus forgave him. Though the thief was not pardoned by the laws of the land, he obtained the full pardon of heaven, through Jesus Christ. Jesus had on his mind and spirit the souls of everyone born and ever yet to be born into this world in all lands and throughout all generations! Jesus thought about you and me in particular. Jesus Who knew no sin, was made sin. That meant He tasted death for every human being. The Bible declares that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord(Romans 6:23). Jesus paid the price that sin demanded with his life blood shed on the cross. The life of a person is contained in his blood. When blood flows through our hearts and blood vessels that is an indication of life still existing. When blood is shed, the life goes with it and the person dies. Jesus therefore gave his life as a ransom paid to rescue every human individual from spiritual and eternal death. The Bible declares: But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. 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(Isaiah 53:5-6). Jesus died for our sins on the cross, he was buried in a donated tomb, not borrowed. He rose up from the grave on the third day, just as the Holy Scriptures foretold. God does not condemn any person for his /her sins. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that through him the world might be saved(John 3:17). The good news is this: That God offers full pardon to all, because of what Christ did on the cross and rose again. God is no more angry at you, because He had visited His full anger through judgment upon Jesus Christ, His Son, who surrendered to become our substitute; our sin-bearer and our ransom. As a result of the pleasing sacrifice made by Jesus during which he fulfilled the standard of the law of God by his death on the cross, we are declared not guilty by God, basically. The taste of the pudding is in the eating. Every person ought to claim the priviledged benefit of the sacrificial, substitutionary death of Jesus. God gave his approval by raising Jesus from the grave on the third day. The word of God declares that if you believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead and confess him as Lord with your mouth, you shall be saved. For with the heart a person believes, fully trusting in and relying on Christ and so is justified and made acceptable to GOD. With the mouth, the person confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord and he is saved. Through Jesus Christ, peace was made with Almighty God by his blood which he volunteered to be shed on the cross. The whole of the human race has eversince been reconciled to God. Everybody ought to hear and know this good news personally. The blood of Jesus so shed, has present and everlasting power to wash each trusting person from sin. Each trusting or believing person is given power to live to please God. His or her past has been forgiven, he or she has been given power to become a child of God. A new life has begun. The power of God is given not on merit or because a person has done particularly well. It is by virtue of the mercy of God. It is called grace. By the influence of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul wrote: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them(Ephesisns 2:8-10). Each believing Christian is a workmanship of God; that is, the handiwork of God. Each one as such is created in Christ Jesus. It is a brand new creation. We were former antagonists of God because we shifted our allegiance from Him to Satan. Through Christ, however, we became transformed. Henceforth, our lives are being enabled to please God. It is written:Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away;behold, all things are become new(2 Corinthians 5:17). Having become beneficiaries of the peace made with God and become reconclied to him, every believing Christian is sent to take and share this good news with any person who would listen. Every Christian is a representative of Christ equiped with the word and message of reconciliation. TELL, URGE, INVITE people everywhere to come to experience the same reconciliation we have experienced. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20). An ambassador goes out with delegated authority. He / she goes out with words of commission- THE MARCHING ORDERS. He has been thoroughly briefed-his FEET SHOD WITH THE PREPARATION OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE.He also has Divine cover and protection.GOD is our refuge and strength; a very present help in trouble.Therefore we shall not fear, because GOD is with us. We go taking the whole armour of God with us. This is not carnal or physical armour, but the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said: And Lo, I am with you alway, unto the ends of the world (Matthew 28:20)! The power and might of the Kingdom of Heaven is behind us and gone ahead of us. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ stead, be ye reconciled to God(2 Corinthians 5:20). Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!
Posts Tagged ‘christian issues’
29 Jan
SUNDAY SERMON: Christian Love
The love of Christ leads us and enables us as Christians not to think of our own well-being only, but to be considerate of others as well. When a person becomes a Christian, God Almighty gives him or her His Holy Spirit to live within. The Holy Spirit thenceforth helps him or her to love others as himself/herself. We are directed to bear one another’s burden and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). Jesus commanded us to love our enemies; those who treat us badly; those who undermine us; those who see nothing good in us; those who try to block our way to progress; those who are difficult to love in the real human sense. These are those who perhaps, legally and logically do not deserve to be loved. We should however bear it in mind that we too are being loved non-stop by God, though we are very much undeserving. At least, you can and should pray for them. I do not say that you should condone their evil practices, but I say you should not give up on them. Naturally, we should not expose ourselves as to become vulnerable to their physical, psychological, material or spiritual attacks on a continuing basis. Jesus said: But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you, That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust (Matthew 5:44-45). Communication is a good means of sorting out differences between two or more persons. This could be verbal or non-verbal. It could be face to face: one-to-one, one to two or more; in conference via phone, or other electronic media. In today’s world, any of the social media is being used. Differences could also be resolved via writing, e-mails, texts and such like. Jesus said further: For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect(Matthew 5:46-48). If an enemy is hungry, thirsty, exposed to the weather, or in need of something we are capable of supplying, then we should give them food,water or appropriate drink, provide shelter or cover from the elements and move on to do any other right thing within our capability. If that enemy or those enemies persist in the evil acts, then God would fight for us (as stated in Romans 12:19-21). Writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul stated in his letter to the Christians in Rome: Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another (Romans 12:9-10). He also stated that they should be relevant in and to their neighbourhood by being compassionate, kind, helpful, encouraging, humble, considerate and non-retaliatory – that is, no tit for tat. They should live at peace with every one in the community. Do good to everyone and be extra good to your fellow Christian brother and sister.Every person born into this world has a unique role, duty and relevance for the overall benefit of this world. More so, every Christian is gifted by God, to be a blessing to the Church and the whole world. No individual should arrogate exclusive rights and powers to himself/herself. Others should be allowed to exercise their God-given gifts to bless the church. A leader who makes that difficult or impossible is working against God. Such a person shall not go unpunished, unless he/she repents! Considering human relationships at the marital level,herein is the deepest and highest level of Christian love contained. The Bible compares it to no higher grade than that between Christ and the Church. It is writen: Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word. That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself (Ephesians 5:25-28). It is very abnormal for a person to hate himself! Following the example of the union between Christ and the Church, the husband is head, while the wife is the body. Who has seen a living headless body before?I know no one. On the other hand no one has seen a living bodyless head. That is the strong reason for cleaving to take place. This fast age is too impatient to allow mutual loving and submission to enhance perfect cleavage in the marriage relationship established by God. A man gets the kind of wife he works for; likewise a woman gettng her kind of husband according to how much she submits lovingly.We need more of lifelong marriage relationships as directed by the MANUFACTURER,Who is none other than GOD Himself. The church needs and has true love. The LOVE must be lived. It is that peak,width and depth of Love that is of God (Agape). Please, let brotherly love continue.
4 Oct
AN ANCHOR
In these days and times of great instability and uncertainties we all need assurance, insurance, and a more constant and reliable base, centre and source. Where can this be found? ONLY IN GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST! There are strains, stresses and instabilities on the international, national, community, domestic and personal levels. Each person, groups of people, communities and nations try to find solutions to the many problems which confront mankind today, with temporary or zero success. The challenges, claims and offerings of help, support and blessings from God, through Jesus Christ, are not taken promptly by many, due to ignorance, arrogance or pride. God has given counsel on all aspects of life, including governance at all levels of human organization. It is the ignorant who needs instruction and knowledge; the thirsty, who needs drink; the hungry, who needs food; the sick, who needs the physician or healing; the lonely, who needs companionship; the lost, who needs rescue and guidance; the blind, who needs sight or leading; the deaf, who needs hearing or guidance; the bound,who needs deliverance and freedom; the ruler, who needs wisdom; the soldier, who needs courage and strategy; the chef, who needs the right skill, ingredients, decency and cheer; the sailor,who needs both the compass and the anchor! What is an anchor? Ordinarily, it is a strong, heavy steel structure, attached to a boat or ship by a cable, helping to keep the vessel stable, by restricting its movement, when dropped overboard. In general terms, an anchor could be a source of stability or security. That security and stability is what God Almighty, through Jesus Christ provides for all human beings. Sin Kills, but JESUS Saves from sin, by giving forgiveness, life and eternal life. He saves from death and eternal loss. He died on the cross as a substitute for each person ever born into this world. He was buried, but arose the third day as a proof that his substitutionary death for all mankind was accepted by the Almighty God, who raised him from death! Now that Jesus is alive, forgiveness and everlasting life is freely offerred to you and me. Security both now and in eternity(endless period after this present life) is provided by Jesus Christ when you surrender your will and life control to him. Your life would be just spot on. Then you would hold your own in the battles and challenges of life, because Jesus would be your anchor
Ely Cathedral Choir, Cambridgeshire sing:
5 Jun
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND PENTECOST
After our Lord Jesus Christ arose from the grave, he showed himself to his disciples and well over 500 faithfuls. Some of these people heared him talk, walked beside him, touched him, sat near him and ate with him, over a period of 40 days. These eyewitness accounts therefore provide overwhelming proofs to the fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ! The fact of the empty tomb is another shocking, terrifying (to his enemies), yet rejoicing evidence to all the faithfuls through time and all of eternity. Having completed his major assignment on earth, Jesus ascended into heaven 40 days after his resurrection, under the amazing gaze of believers who gathered at the Mount of Olives as they had been previously instructed. Ten days later, making up 50 days since the Passover festival, when Jesus, as sacrificial lamb was crucified, it was Pentecost Festival. It was on that first Pentecost after Christs’ crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, that God the Father chose to send the Holy Spirit from heaven to dwell permanently for the first time inside believers in Christ! In response to anxieties and questions from his followers, Jesus stated just before his ascension: “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea,and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1.7-8). As some of his parting words Jesus also said: “And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high”. In obedience to this command, the believers in Christ stayed in Jerusalem, meeting regularly to fellowship and to pray. As they did so on that specific day of Pentecost, in one accord, the Holy Spirit came upon them all in the room. Cloven tongues like as fire appeared and rested upon each one of them and they began to speak with other tongues as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance. Many people (both Jews and strangers)from different parts of the world, who had gathered in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost were able to hear the disciples praising and glorifying God in their own languages. It was so definite, yet amazing that they expressed this observation. Some skeptics, as usual, tried to ridicule the believers, saying that they were drunk. Peter, no longer fearful nor timid, confounded the skeptics and preached powerfully, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, explaining to them that it was a fulfilment of God’s promise through the prophet Joel that was visible before their eyes and audible to them. He urged the peole to repent. The Jesus whom they crucified is risen and alive, because it was impossible for death to hold him down. God has glorified him and made him to sit at his right hand in heaven. That same Jesus is now both Lord and Christ(the Messiah).From his exalted position he did send down the Holy Spirit. Many were convicted in their hearts and cried out to the disciples: “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Peter stated: “Repent and be baptised, everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call” (Acts 2.14-40). About 3000 persons repented, received Christ and were baptised that same day.A new change came not only over Jerusalem, but over the whole nation. The risen Christ has demonstrated his power, timid men and women had become bold. The less educated disciples had become inspired and learned, able to teach and silence the educated skeptics by words and by deeds. It was the birth of the Church of Christ and the dawn of a new day! What then is the purpose of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost? The purpose is to powerfully give birth to the powerful Church.The purpose is through empowered men and women, to break down all barriers confronting the church then and today.The purpose is to unify the church powerfully as a formidable team. The purpose is to impact the church with the love of God.The purpose is to reach every nook and corner of this earth with the liberating power of the gospel, by the Holy Ghost through the church. The purpose is to have the same vision as God- vision of a world lost in sin; a hurting, needy, sick, poor, confused, ignorant and arrogant world, in need of the unlimited power of God through the Holy Ghost to rescue it, by the church. The full price for the world’s redemption has been paid; yet there are stubborn manifestations of Satans’ oppressive grip on many people. O for a heart of like-minded men and women who would selflessly arise today to rescue the 21st Century world from the brink of disaster! Are you a Christian? Are you appreciative of all that Christ did? Does your spirit and mind burn inside to help! How dry are your eyes? How compassionate are you? Do you love the people? Do you love your brother/sister in Christ? For how long have you been holding grudges and keeping malice? Are you ready to meet Christ in this your present state? O for a heart that is a true copy of Jesus Christ in you and me! Jesus said: “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not overcome it”.
That is reality. Satan has lost,no matter how much he tries to bark like a toothless bull-dog or pretend to harrass as a roaring lion. We are to stand up to resist him, steadfast in the faith, in the name of Jesus, his conqueror! Because of the victory of Jesus and the elevated status to which Jesus has brought the church, we are more than conquerors! Imagine what Jesus said: “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it” (John 14.12-14). When the church today thinks, plans and acts selflessly, people would increasingly ask again “WHAT SHALL WE DO”? Are we building for God? What materials are we using to build? Are we using wood, hay, silver, iron, bronze or gold? Are we listening to and obeying the Holy Spirit, as he seeks to lead the Church of Christ today or are we just doing our own stuffs? Charles Wesley wrote:
“A heart in every thought renewed, And full of love divine; Perfect, and right, and pure, and good, A copy, Lord, of thine”. The purpose of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is to produce ‘Proof Producers’- men and women, who seek to be more like Jesus Christ and prove to the world his unlimited power in love! Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? Then, walk also in the spirit. The purpose of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost is to produce loving, obedient, willing and effective witnesses for Jesus Christ. God bless you.
One of the greatest hymn writers God gave to the church in all generations so far was Charles Wesley. His hymn, ‘Give me the faith which can remove’ still speaks volumes of goodness to the church this 21st Century:
23 Apr
SAVING FAITH
This world and its lusts plus its corruption is soon passing away, but anyone who does the will of God abides forever.We are all advised not to put our lives’ hopes on worldly possessions,acquisitions,fleshly desires, pride and arrogance,craze after sexual lusts and all forms of sexual perversions,greed,drunkenness with power,star-gazing,palmistry, reflexology,witchcraft,Satanism and all forms of idolatry;all forms of bodily abuse,anti-Semitism, terrorism and all forms of human oppression and abuse.There is no small or big error.There is no small or big sin!Sin is sin;no matter how big or small.Every form of disregard for the CREATOR is sin.Sin in any form,hidden,open,small,or big is punishable. For the wages of sin is death;but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord(Romans 6.23).It is written: Whosoever transgresseth,and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. II John 1.9 This is the end time.This present world and its systems is coming to an end very soon!Reference to man in this message is to the entire human race and not to any gender. God made man perfectly in the beginning and had regular fellowship with them.Man was given power and dominion to rule this Earth.However, man fell from his position by selling out to Lucifer who came deceitfully in the form of a snake(serpent). Man was specially made to live successfully on Earth. Lucifer(also commonly called the devil, Satan, prince of the power of the air)was originally made to live in Heaven, but because he committed high treason, he was cast down from Heaven and thus became a vagabond, having no settled place. Satan chose to dispossess man from his privileged position by successfully tricking him. It took God the simplicity of the gospel to rescue mankind from that fall from glory to shame. GOD had to become MAN in order to rescue mankind. The CREATOR stooped extremely low to bring out man from the pit of sin and the clutches of Satan. When God became man he was born as JESUS through a miracle. The virgin called Mary submitted herself as the vehicle to give birth to the Saviour of mankind! God sent Angel Gabriel to Mary, who told her that she would give birth to a child by the power of the Most High God and that child would be called the Son of God. This would happen outside the natural order of procreation, because nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1.26-38). Satan and the whole of the kingdom of darkness could not comprehend the great plan of God; neither could the rulers of this world. Jesus grew up and became mature physically, intellectually, full of the Holy Spirit and was in communion with God His Father. Born into a humble home headed by the carpenter called Joseph, Jesus lived in obedience to their good parental upbringing, himself learning the trade of carpentry in Nazareth of Galilee. At the age of 33 Jesus began His unique ministry. He went about doing good, healing the sick, raising the dead, cleansing lepers, opening blind eyes,setting free those who had been under the oppressive grip of Satan in their bodies, minds and spirits. As a climax of His mission, Jesus laid down His life for the whole of the human race in every generation, every country, and every tongue; without any exception(from Adam to the last person ever to be born). On every Good Friday, professing Christians remember the crucifixion and death of Jesus. The life of any soul is in the blood. The blood of Jesus was shed on the cross and by that He laid down His life! For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life(John 3.16 KJV). A long time before Jesus was arrested and wrongly tried, He had taught and made reference and comparison to an old but great incident in Hebrew history during their exodus from Egypt to Canaan.It so happened that the people grumbled and rebelled against God and Moses,wanting to go back to Egypt from where they had been delivered, after being slaves there for about 400 years! God was angry and thus sent poisonous, fiery snakes to bite them! Many died and several others were at points of death. There was great fear, trembling and agonising cry in the Hebrew camp. The people confessed their sins before Moses and appealed to him to pray for them before God. Moses, as usual, prayed to God. Moses was instructed by God to make a bronze copy of the deadly snakes and hang it upon a pole. Furthermore, Moses must have cried out to the entire camp of Israelites to look at the bronze serpent hanging upon the pole as a remedy for survival. Anyone bitten by the snake, who obeyed and looked at the hung snake on the pole lived and did not die!(Numbers 21.5-9) Jesus said:And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life (John3.14-15 KJV). My friend, have you looked up to Jesus, who was hung on the cross for you and me? Each person must do his/her own looking up to Jesus! There is life in looking to Jesus! God said:Look unto me, and be ye saved,all the ends of the earth:for I am God,and there is none else(Isaiah 45.22). LOOK TO JESUS NOW AND LIVE! There is no other means of salvation for mankind than through JESUS CHRIST! For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord(Romans6.23 KJV). Jesus had you and I in his mind as He hung upon the cross dying, over 2000 years ago! He prayed forgiveness for us while at the same time suffering as a result of our sins, as our substitute. WHAT A WONDERFUL LOVE! Jesus died, was buried in a borrowed tomb, but arose on the third day, alive forever! The wages of sin have been paid by Jesus. Therefore death, sin, Satan, and all the powers of darkness could not hold Jesus captive! HALLELUYAH! Because of what Jesus did, you and I have been set free from the powers of sin, Satan, hell and everlasting death. JESUS is able to save us completely, if we come looking up to him! Any one who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
AgapeFocus 
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