Tag Archives: Sacrifice

•

I started reading "Journeying Through Lent with Matthew" and the author wrote about the ashes that were used when he went through the ceremony with his congregation.

We are dust.  Nothing.

If we are nothing, what (or Who) makes us something?

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Matthew 10:39 (ESV)

If I determine to focus on the Giver of Life, what becomes of me?

at the end of the daily devotional,

But the cross remains, marking us invisibly and indelibly.  Jesus knew:  the death of self is the path to the resurrection and the life.

~~~

I generally start out Lent with a determination.  Last year I gave up wheat.  I had to think about what I put into my mouth, read labels and I realized how little thought I gave to what I ate.

this year - a sacrifice and a discipline.

candy (this is hard) and blogging every day.

So far, so good.

•

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"

When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. Turning around, Jesus saw them following and asked, "What do you want?"

They said, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"

"Come," he replied, "and you will see."

So they went and saw where he was staying, and spent that day with him. It was about the tenth hour. (John 1:35-39)

Put yourself in the shoes of one of those disciples of John the Baptist.  In the middle of town, the hustle and bustle of the marketplace, John says, "look".

What do you see?  There is nothing special about the way He looks.  But you follow.

He asks, "What do you want?"

~~

What do I see in Jesus that catches my attention today?

What do I want?

I see peace in the time of turmoil.  Shelter in the storm.  A refuge and strength; an ever present help in trouble.

I am drawn to Him like a moth to the flame; I cannot help but believe.

Now more than ever, as Reformed, I understand that there is nothing in me that would make me search out Him.  The power, the sovereignty, the sacrifice all catch my attention.

That HE LOVES ME - not because of what I am, but because of who HE is.

I want...to know Him better.

• 4 Comments

•

The "L" part of TULIP..."Limited Atonenent".

Also known as "definite atonement" or "particular redemption".

Now...I'm going to take this post in an entirely different and political course.

On another blog, I'm hearing about our "Christian" Bible calling Jews "children of the devil" and I'm hearing about the sinful history of the persecution of Jews by Christians.

Yes.  It happened.  Yes.  It was sin.

The popular epitaph is "Christ-killer".

Who took Christ's life?

John 10:17-18 The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."

My first question:  if Christ had not been crucified, where would we be?  The "religious Jews" were instruments of God, prophecied.   Jesus' death was the necessary sacrifice, ordained by the Father from the beginning of time.  If God had demanded the sacrifice, are the people who brought that sacrifice about to blame?

Now...on to "the L".

From a Reformed perspective, who is responsible for the death of Christ?   When I was an Arminian, my answer would have been "all of us".

But if I buy into the "L", that is not the right answer.

The short definition of "limited atonement" is: Christ's redeeming work was intended to save the elect only and actually secured salvation for them.

If Christ's redeeming work was intended to save only those who would believe on Christ the Saviour, His blood in not on the hands of the Jews, it is not on the hands of unbelievers.

The blood of Christ is on my hands.  My hands...the hands of a believer.

Romans 5:8-11  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!  For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

That is the "L".   The "L" lays the blame of Christ's death on me.