Two absolute/immutable truths, spoken by God, with you stuck in the middle: 1) The wages of sin is death. 2) Payment for sin must be made. (but God never said you had to do the paying.) https://soundcloud/tony-pittenger/ascension14 Ascension.14 1 June, 2014 Series A 215, 212, 221, 660 Luke 24:44–53 (ESV) 44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” 50 Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple blessing God. The Israelites lived in abject misery. They were a nation of slaves. Judged because of their race, their religion, their creed; Egypt impoverished them. We see situations like theirs in the news, see the squalor that slaves live in. The things we free people take for granted are often completely lacking: clean water, sanitation, enough food to go around… Suffering and misery were their daily bread. Desperately they cried out to the Lord: Help us O God! Save us! Free us!! Moses was God’s answer to their prayers. Moses was the deliverer God had raised up. God sent him, Moses went, faced Pharaoh, repeated that command out of Heaven: Let My people go! But you know Pharaoh’s answer... Pharaoh said “no” and so… …so Moses found himself a realtor. He purchased a home and settled down in Egypt. The next day Israel’s leaders asked Moses what was going on. He called an assembly, addressed the entire nation…this is what he told them: I’ve been thinking about your problem and I want you to know I’m still here to help. For example, you’ve complained about the work… …don’t think of it as work. This is a great way to keep in shape. Some people pay money to have someone make them work and stay fit; for all of you its your way of life…Look on the bright side! And stop complaining about the sanitation and drinking water…I realize it makes some of your number sick, and has even killed the weaker. But think of it as a method of natural population control. Those of you who can stomach it will be stronger for it. Moses said: Me and the Mrs. have come to live with you. We’ll work and live exactly as you work and live. Our door is always open if anyone wants to talk…God bless! Imagine that was the way it went. Imagine God had sent Moses—and he didn’t deliver Israel—he simply commiserated with them. Praise God that’s not how the story goes but what if it were??? Silly, isn’t it? Well, silly or not, I pray that it helps you to understand Christ’s ascension, grasp it’s meaning, see why it is absolutely necessary… …what if Christ has done what my Moses did? What if God had sent His Son to deliver us from death—and remember: death is only the wage of sin—what if Jesus had come to deliver us from our sins and from our impending death and damnation and Jesus had said: You’re all just looking at this wrong. Don’t call your deaths “the end.” Call them “the circle of life”, think of the fertilizer you’ll be providing (plus, in the 21st century, you can take comfort in reducing our carbon footprint!). Learn to call this place “home”. Since I made you out of dust, and since food either grows out of it or is fed by what grows out of it; you can think of that ground and this land as your “mother.” What if Jesus were sent to deliver us but instead had decided to purchase Himself a little house and stay here? What if Christ had not ascended??? We would not be delivered. He could have even died and risen again but if He had done all that to stay and make a home here then: Welcome to Eternity! Better get used to disease and tornados and riots and terror and heartbreak. You’re going to exist forever on this little rock, this tiny speck in the universe. Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem…50 Then He led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up His hands He blessed them. 51 While He blessed them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. Curious! They loved Him so! Once, on a stormy night in a boat, they cried to Him in fear; the fact that He was taking a nap made them wonder if He really cared…and now?!? How is it that now they can watch Jesus visibly ascend into Heaven and they can return from that scene with great joy?!? Why aren’t they sad? Why aren’t they afraid, despairing, holding their heads and wailing what’ll we do now?!?! Why? Because now they know. Now they know that their deliverance is guaranteed. No, He won’t stay here and help us to settle in, help us see this fallen world in a more positive light. His was a rescue mission! He came to deliver, now He goes on ahead to prepare. He ascends to Heaven to govern and control all things from there, from the throne of God, the right hand of the Father. Think of the rocks, the truths I showed to the children. The first truth is solid: death is the wage of sin. God did say that and will not go back on His Word about this matter. We are all sinful we all must face death. The second truth is equally solid and immovable: God has said, God has declared that sin must be paid for, absolutely must! These two truths, taken together, make our future look very grim. But that is because I haven’t shown you the whole picture. Yes, we are sinners who must die, and yes sin must be paid for… …but God never said that the sinner would have to do the paying. God Himself, God the Son, did that, paid that price for you. Not only has He paid that price for you, He has returned to Heaven. This means His promises are true; the one about going to prepare a place for you, the promise about being with you always—no matter when or where you live, and the promise about returning to take you to be with Him. We are only strangers here. Heaven is our home. We will not remain forever in this desert drear, Heaven is our home! Though danger and sorrow stand round us on every hand—Heaven is our Father land—Heaven is our home. This is true because our sins are forgiven! True because our deaths have been made temporary! True because our eternity in Heaven is secure. Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!..He chose our heritage for us…God has gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet…God is the King of all the earth…God reigns over the nations; God sits on his holy throne. Soli Deo Gloria
Posted on: Mon, 02 Jun 2014 05:00:15 +0000
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