What Does Jesus Do

What Did Jesus Do?

In every way, the table serves as his altar. Jesus Seminar co-founder John Dominic Crossan makes a compelling case that Jesus’ table manners were perhaps the most radical element of his life—that Jesus’ table manners pointed the way to his heavenly morals—in the book, The Jesus Seminar. Crossan sees Jesus as a member of a Mediterranean Jewish peasant culture, a culture defined by clan and cohort, in which who eats with whom determines who stands where and for what reasons. As a result, the manner Jesus continually breaks the standards of “commensality” when it comes to eating would have surprised his contemporaries.

In his most famous quote, which is still shocking to even the most pious Jew or Muslim, he says, “What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him unclean; it is what comes out of his mouth that causes him to be unclean.” Jesus isn’t a hedonist or an epicurean, but he’s also not an ascetic, as evidenced by the fact that he feeds the crowds rather than instructing them on how to go without food.

The other part of Jesus’ message, a violent and even vengeful prediction of a final judgment and a large-scale damnation, can appear to be at odds with the laid-back egalitarianism of the open road and the open table to a modern reader.

If the end is near, why are so many wise words being spoken?

The idea that a later, perhaps “unpersonified,” body of Hellenized wisdom literature was tacked onto an earlier account of a Jewish messianic prophet has been put forward by some scholars.

But among charismatic prophets, it is common to see a single figure who “projects” two personae at the same time, or in close succession, each one dark and one dreamy, and this is a common occurrence.

African-American community leaders prior to the civil-rights movement, for example, were called upon to serve as both prophets and political agitators to an oppressed and persecuted people in a manner not dissimilar from that of the historical Jesus (and all the other forgotten zealots and rabbis whom the first-century Jewish historian Josephus names and sighs over).

  • Malcolm X was the very model of a modern apocalyptic prophet-politician, unambiguously preaching violence and a doctrine of millennial revenge, all fuelled by a set of cult beliefs—a hovering U.F.O., a strange racial myth.
  • When he was martyred, he was called a prophet of hate; within three decades of his death—about the time that separates the Gospels from Jesus—he could be the cover subject of a liberal humanist magazine like this one.
  • (As if to prove this point, just the other week came news of suppressed chapters of Haley’s “Autobiography,” which, according to Malcolm’s daughter, “showed too much of my father’s humanity.”) As the Bacchae knew, we always tear our Gods to bits, and eat the bits we like.
  • Certain kinds of truths are convincing only in a narrative.
  • Anyone watching Hamlet will find his behavior completely understandable—O.K., I buy it; he’s toying with his uncle—though any critic thinking about it afterward will reflect that this behavior is a little nuts.
  • It has the hypnotic flow of dramatic movement.
  • The story works.

If Jesus is truly one with God, in what sense could he suffer doubt, fear, exasperation, pain, horror, and so on?

But if he doesn’t suffer doubt, fear, exasperation, pain, and horror, in what sense is his death a sacrifice rather than just a theatrical enactment?

None of this is very troubling if one has a pagan idea of divinity: the Son of God might then be half human and half divine, suffering and triumphing and working out his heroic destiny in the half-mortal way of Hercules, for instance.

If God he was—not some Hindu-ish avatar or offspring of God, but actually one with God—then God once was born and had dirty diapers and took naps.

To be really believed at all, it can only be told again.

This is the subject of Philip Jenkins’s “Jesus Wars: How Four Patriarchs, Three Queens, and Two Emperors Decided What Christians Would Believe for the Next 1,500 Years” (HarperOne; $26.99).

Was Jesus one with God in the sense that, say, Sean Connery is one with Daniel Craig, different faces of a single role, or in the sense that James Bond is one with Ian Fleming, each so dependent on the other that one cannot talk about the creation apart from its author?

People argued that way because they were part of social institutions—cities, schools, clans, networks—in which words are banners and pennants: who pledged to whom was inseparable from who said what in what words.

The effort to seal off the inspiration from the intolerance, nice Jesus from nasty Jesus, is very old.

The wise Jesus is brother to the shrewd Christ.

Pullman, a writer of great skill and feeling, as he has shown in his magical children’s fantasies, feels the betrayal of Jesus by his brother Christ as a fundamental betrayal of humanity.

Pullman’s book, however, is not narrowly polemical; he also retells the parables and acts with a lucid simplicity that strips away the Pauline barnacles.

But beware, and remember what I tell you: there are some who will be cursed, who will never inherit the Kingdom of God.

Here goes: Those who are rich will be cursed.” If one thing seems clear from all the scholarship, though, it’s that Paul’s divine Christ came first, and Jesus the wise rabbi came later.

Its intractability is part of the intoxication of belief.

The two go on, and their twoness is what distinguishes the faith and gives it its discursive dynamism.

The two spin around each other throughout history—the remote Pantocrator of Byzantium giving way to the suffering man of the Renaissance, and on and on.

H.

Auden chose Christianity for the absolute democracy of its vision—there is, in it, “neither Jew nor German, East nor West, boy nor girl, smart nor dumb, boss nor worker.” Empson, in the same period, beginning in the fatal nineteen-forties, became the most articulate critic of a morality reduced “to keeping the taboos imposed by an infinite malignity,” in which the reintroduction of human sacrifice as a sacred principle left the believer with “no sense either of personal honour or of the public good.” (In this case, though, where Auden saw a nice Christ, Empson saw a nasty Jesus.) Beyond the words, we still hear that cry.

  • The Passion is still the point.
  • Jesus seems to have an intimation of the circumstance he has found himself in—leading a rebellion against Rome that is not really a rebellion, yet doesn’t really leave any possibility of retreat—and some corner of his soul wants no part of it: “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you.
  • The victim was stripped, in order to be deprived of dignity, then paraded, then whipped bloody, and then left to die as slowly as possible in as public a manner as conceivable.
  • And the corpse was generally left to be eaten by wild dogs.
  • Verhoeven, citing Crossan, offers an opening scene for a Jesus bio-pic which neatly underlines this point.
  • This was the Roman doom waiting for dissidents from the onset, and Jesus knew it.
  • The shock and pity of failure still echoes.

His father had betrayed him, and the promise had not been honored.

It is unmistakably stated by Jesus and by Paul after him that whatever is coming is coming soon—that the end is really close.

Despite the fact that it appears to be a contemporary waiver, “Well, I know he said that, but he didn’t mean it precisely the way it sounded,” is built into the very foundations of the cult’s structure.

If the Kingdom of God proved to be elusive, he must have meant that the Kingdom of God was within, or outside, or above, or still to arrive, or anything other than what the words appear to have meant so obviously in the first instance.

Authoritarianism and fear can confine and coagulate a debate, but they cannot put a stop to it.

Historically, the inclination of orthodoxy has been to repress debate as a show of weakness; the drive of more modern theology, on the other hand, has been to embrace it as a sign of strength.

With so many words said over such a lengthy period of time, it’s possible that onlookers can pick up on tones that are inaudible to the more impassioned participants.

Someone appears to have expressed an interest in this at some point. *Correction, August 13, 2010: Not all of the Gospels are named after disciples, as was previously claimed.

What Does Jesus Do?

In every sense, the table serves as his altar. Jesus Seminar co-founder John Dominic Crossan makes a compelling case that Jesus’ table manners were perhaps the most radical element of his life, and that Jesus’ table manners pointed the way to his heavenly morals. The author, John Crossan, sees Jesus as a member of a Mediterranean Jewish peasant culture, a culture of clan and cohort, in which who eats with whom determines who stands where and for what reason. As a result, the way Jesus repeatedly breaks the rules of “commensality” when it comes to eating would have shocked his contemporaries.

In his most famous quote, which is still shocking to even the most devout Jew or Muslim, he says, “What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him unclean; it is what comes out of his mouth that makes him unclean.” Jesus isn’t a hedonist or an epicurean, but he’s also not an ascetic, as evidenced by the fact that he feeds the crowds rather than instructing them on how to fast.

  • The other part of Jesus’ message, a violent and even vengeful prediction of a final judgment and widespread damnation, can appear to be at odds with the relaxed egalitarianism of the open road and the open table to a modern reader.
  • Is it really necessary to provide so much sound advice if the end is nearing?
  • The idea that a later, perhaps “unpersonified,” body of Hellenized wisdom literature was tacked onto an earlier account of a Jewish messianic prophet has been put forward as one possibility.
  • Despite this, charismatic prophets frequently employ a single figure who “projects” two personae at the same time or in close succession, one dark and one dreamy.

African-American community leaders prior to the civil-rights movement, for example, were called upon to serve as both prophets and political agitators to an oppressed and persecuted people in a manner not dissimilar to that of the historical Jesus (and all the other forgotten zealots and rabbis whom the first-century Jewish historian Josephus names and sighs over).

  1. Malcolm X was the prototypical contemporary apocalyptic prophet-politician, plainly advocating murder and a religion of millennial vengeance, all fueled by a set of cult beliefs—a hovering U.F.O., a bizarre racial myth—that fueled his whole political career and career of his followers.
  2. His martyrdom earned him the moniker “prophet of hatred,” and within three decades of his death—roughly the time span that separates the Gospels from Jesus—he could find himself on the cover of a liberal humanist magazine such as this one.
  3. (As if to demonstrate this point, just this week came news of chapters from Haley’s “Autobiography” that had been withheld because they “showed too much of my father’s humanity,” according to Malcolm’s daughter.
  4. Although there is a genuine and immutable difference between what may be termed narrative facts and statement-making truths—between what makes believable, if broad, sense in a story and what is necessary for a close-knit philosophical argument—the distinction is not insignificant.

While the concept that the ring of power should be delivered to two undersized amateurs to toss into a volcano in the very heart of the enemy’s camp makes solid and sober sense in Tolkien, it would be surprising if such a premise were used as the basis for the Middle Earth Military Academy’s curriculum.

  1. In Mark, Jesus’ divinity develops without ever needing to be explained intellectually, and it does so without ever needing to be explained.
  2. This is a narrative of self-discovery: he doesn’t know who he is at first, and then he begins to believe that he knows, and then he begins to question, and in anguish and glory, he dies and is recognized.
  3. However, as a statement under consideration, it imposes unbearable requirements on logic.
  4. As a result, we get the Jesus depicted in the Book of John, unlike others who don’t.
  5. A lamb whose throat has not been slit and which has not bled is not much of an offering, to put it mildly.
  6. However, this is ruled out by the entire force of the Jewish concept of deity, which is omnipresent and omniscient, capable of knowing and seeing everything.
  7. You’ll find that the more you think about it, the more amazing, or bizarre, it gets.
  8. To some extent, therefore, the lengthy history of early Church councils that attempted to transform fairy tales into theology is a history of people walking out of a movie puzzled and looking for someone else to explain what just happened.
  9. What was at stake in the seemingly absurd wars over the Arian heresy—the question of whether Jesus the Son shared an essence with God the Father or merely a substance—that consumed the Western world during the second and third centuries is explained by Jenkins.
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In the same way that Sean Connery and Daniel Craig are two different faces of the same role, or in the same way that James Bond and Ian Fleming are two different authors of the same creation, was Jesus one with God in the same way that Sean Connery and Daniel Craig are two different authors of the same creation?

  • Individuals debated in this manner because they were members of social organizations such as cities, schools, clans, and networks, in which words are displayed on flags and pennants: who promised to whom was inextricably bound up with who said what in what language.
  • There has long been an effort to separate inspiration from intolerance, beautiful Jesus from ugly Jesus, and this has been going on for centuries.
  • The intelligent Jesus is a brother of the shrewd Christ, and the two are related.
  • Pullman, a writer of tremendous skill and passion, as seen in his wonderful children’s fantasies, considers the betrayal of Jesus by his brother Christ to be a fundamental betrayal of mankind on the part of the Christ.
  • Pullman’s novel, on the other hand, is not solely argumentative; he also retells the parables and acts in a straightforward simplicity that removes the Pauline barnacles off his characters.
  • You’re interested in knowing who they are, right?
  • All of the research, however, seems to agree on one thing: Paul’s heavenly Christ appeared first, while Jesus the wise teacher appeared later.
  • Its intractability contributes to the intoxicating effect of believing.
  • The two continue to speak, and the fact that they are two is what differentiates the religion and provides it with its discursive dynamism.
  • W.
  • Auden, the best-known Christian poet of the twentieth century, and William Empson, the greatest anti-Christian polemicist of the same century, were precise contemporaries, close friends, and virtually completely interchangeable Englishmen in their roles as slovenly social types.

Empson emerged as the most outspoken critic of a morality reduced to “keeping the taboos imposed by an infinite malignity” during the same period, beginning in the fatal nineteen-forties, in which the reintroduction of human sacrifice as a sacred principle left the believer with “no sense either of personal honour or of the public good.” The difference here is that where Auden saw a good Christ, Empson saw a terrible Christ.) That wail may still be heard above and beyond the words.

The most important thing is still the passion.

Despite the fact that he is leading a rebellion against Rome that is not really a rebellion, it does not really leave any room for retreat, Jesus appears to have an inkling of the situation in which he finds himself, and some part of his soul does not want to be a part of it: “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you.

  1. When the victim was undressed, it was done so in order to rob him of dignity.
  2. (As an example of how horrific it was, Josephus writes that he asked the Roman authorities to remove three of his companions off the cross after they had spent hours on it; just one of them survived.) The victim’s legs were fractured, causing him to pass away in a blaze of agony.
  3. It was terrible, and it was always there.
  4. His imagination conjures a man being nailed to a cross, shouts of pain, two partner crosses in view, and suddenly we crane out to see two hundred crosses and two hundred victims: we are at the beginning of the tale, the execution of Jewish rebels in 4 B.C., and not the end of the story.

However, Jesus’ cry of desolation—”My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”—which was later evangelists either edited out or explained away as an apropos quotation from the Psalm—pierces us even now, thousands of years after it was written in the Gospel of Mark, across all the centuries and Church comforts.

  1. Despite its ambiguity, the scream does confirm one thing: the Jesus religion is founded on a lack of confidence.
  2. Although Jesus predicted that some of those present would avoid death until they reached the kingdom of God, none of them really did.
  3. No, it wasn’t, and the entire rest of the story is based around apologizing for what happened.
  4. When the religion is expressed in its first words, the magnificent symbolic turn—or, if you prefer, the retreat to metaphor—begins.
  5. The truth is represented by the argument, and the absence of certainty is represented by the absence of uncertainty.
  6. It was the word that began it all: in the beginning, in the midst, and right there at the finish, the word that was without beginning and without end, Amen!

However, the deeper question is whether the uncertainty at the center represents the plurality of possibilities essential to liberal debate, as the more open-minded theologians like to believe, or whether it represents an antique mystery in a story that is open only as the tomb is opened, with a mystery left inside that will never be fully explored or explained.

Someone appears to have expressed an interest in this at some point. *Correction, August 13, 2010: Not all of the Gospels are named after disciples, as was initially claimed in this article.

  • In the words of Jesus, “Behold the Lamb of God who wipes away the sin of the world!” This is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33)
  • This is the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit (John 1:29)

Both of Christ’s major works—his death on the cross to take away sin and his baptism in the Holy Spirit—stand at the heart of Christian life and experience. So, for today, I’d like us to concentrate on these two truths, which tell us what Christ accomplishes for anybody who would accept Him as their Savior.

1.) Christ Takes Away Sin

In the words of Jesus, “Behold the Lamb of God who wipes away the sin of the world!” (See also John 1:29) Keep in mind that John was in the wilderness, and that a large number of people were flocking to him. “You are going to meet God, and you had better get ready to meet Him,” he said in his speech to the congregation. People came to confess their sins and to be baptized, showing that they were in need of being cleansed from their misdeeds. “Behold, the Lamb of God!” exclaims John as he sees Jesus approaching him on the road.

i. The Lamb is a substitute.

It was Abraham who went and grabbed the ram and offered it in sacrifice in place of his own son. (Genesis 22:13; cf. Genesis 22:12) The astonishing tale of how God tested Abraham may be found in the book of Genesis: “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and travel to the country of Moriah, and give him there as a burnt offering” (Genesis 22:2). When Abraham and Isaac get on the mountain, Isaac remarks, “We have the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burned offering?” (Genesis 22:7).

  • “God will provide for himself a lamb,” Abraham declares confidently (Genesis 22:8).
  • In Isaac’s absence, the ram served as a replacement.
  • If you think about it, what type of God would ask Abraham to accomplish anything like that?
  • We can see from this passage that God offered His own Son, whom He loved, as the sacrifice.
  • Christ, who was with God and is God, is the Lamb of God who was supplied by God as a substitute whose life was given in the place of the people of God.

ii. The Lamb is a sacrifice.

A portion of the blood will be applied on the two doorposts and lintel of each of the residences. In addition, if I see any blood, I will simply walk right by you. (1 Kings 12:7, 13) (Exodus 12:7, 13) After that, we come to the tale of the Passover, when God’s judgment swept across Egypt, where God’s people had been slaves for hundreds of years. People who believed in God killed a lamb and painted the blood of the lamb on the doorposts and lintels of their homes, and God responded by saying, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” The lamb’s life was sacrificed, and the lamb’s blood was spilt as a result.

Continue the tale forward, and in the New Testament, the apostle John proclaims, “Behold, the Lamb of God. Jesus is the substitutionary atonement who will take your place. In his place, blood will be shed on your behalf, and he is the sacrifice.

iii. The Lamb is the sin-bearer.

The prophet Isaiah makes it plain that the Lamb is a human being (Isaiah 53:6-7). The Lamb of God will appear among us in the form of a servant. He will be reviled and rejected by the majority of people. The Lord will throw the sins of the whole world on His shoulders. He will be herded into the slaughterhouse like a lamb. Christ died in order to remove sin from the world. Sin, as a hindrance, has been removed by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Sin in your thoughts, emotions, desires and imagination are just as bad as sin in your words and acts, and both are as bad.

I have to surrender it to Him since He is the only one who has the authority to take it away.

The journey of faith begins here: You believe that Jesus is the Lamb of God, who was sacrificed to atone for the sins of the entire world.

2.) Christ Gives the Holy Spirit

“It is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit,” says the speaker. (See also John 1:33) Baptize is a term that implies to dip, immerse, drench, or saturate anything. If you add all of them together, the word “baptize” indicates an abundance of supplies. The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity, and he is the Spirit of God. As a result, to be baptized in the Spirit is to be soaked in, saturated with, or filled with the very life of God Himself (Ephesians 3:19). Consider the ramifications of such a move: If you were completely submerged in water, you would have a distinct dampness about you.

  • Anything in which you are absorbed will infuse you with a little bit of its nature.
  • The presence of God’s holiness would permeate your being if you were completely immersed in the Holy Spirit.
  • When certain cravings develop in you, you would be able to control your actions and suppress them.
  • Because you have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you.
  • In the life of a believer, it is a continuous outpouring of the Spirit from on high.

The Ministry of Jesus

Taking away sins and baptizing with the Holy Spirit are the two main functions of Jesus’ ministry, and He never performs one function without the other. He removes sin from the world and continues to do so. He is completely immersed in the Holy Spirit and continues to pour Him forth. Consequently, in Jesus, there is forgiveness for the mistakes of the past and strength to face the problems of the present and future. Don’t be satisfied with external manifestations of faith! “I have come to accomplish for you what no religion in the world can do, and what no other person in the world can do,” Jesus Christ declares to you today.

Ready to join the ranks of people who have said, “I will follow Christ?” I’ll accompany him on his walk. “I’m going to put my faith in him and look to him”? You will come to realize that life is actually possible.

This article was adapted from Pastor Colin’s sermon, “ Knowing Who Jesus Is,” from his sermonMeet Jesus, Part 1.

Read Romans 5:1-11 to have a better understanding. Jesus saves and gives to those who believe. Christ has saved us:Jesus is our Savior! Because not everyone has been rescued, Christ’s atonement does not apply to everyone; this is referred to as “Limited Atonement” (not meaning that His work and sacrifice was not sufficient). if it were available to everyone, then there would be universal salvation, which means that everyone, regardless of their religious or philosophical beliefs, would be saved (John 6:35-57; 10:15-18; 27-29; 11:51-52; Eph.

  • 1:20; 1 John 4:9-10; Rev.1:4-6; 5:9-10; 22:17).
  • Christ alters us in the following ways: Due to the fact that it is the mechanism by which those who place their faith in Jesus Christ are transported from the world of sin and death into the realm of the Spirit and life, the Gospel is the ongoing operation of divine power!
  • Christ has redeemed us: Those of us who have been justified by faith now enjoy peace with God.
  • God’s unfailing love for us was demonstrated to us when He reconciled us to Himself by the sacrifice of his Son, even when we were still worthless sinners and His “enemy” (as the Bible puts it).
  • Christ makes atonement for our sins: Atonement literally means “covering”; Christ covered us with His righteousness so that God would not be able to perceive our sin and would not be defiled by our presence.
  • Christ forgives us of our sins: Christ does not hold our sins against us any more.
  • Christ has paid our debt, and as a result, we are right with God.
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As a result, salvation is not based on reasoning or knowledge (2 Cor.

It is not a matter of optimism or wishful thinking, but rather the reality of God’s love.

Christ’s salvation washed away our sins and enabled us to remain in faith for the glory of God.

Our trust is in Christ and His character—not in our own self-worth, but in “Christ-esteem” instead!

One man, Adam, brought sin into the world, and it spread to all people; the grace of God, which justifies us, came into the world via one man, God, and it spread to all people.

As a result, it is unjust to God, not to us!

As a result of His love and kindness, Jesus Christ is able to transcend the confines of our sin and provide us His Grace.

It provides us with the joy we need to face the challenges of life.

He accomplishes this via the power of His Spirit and love!

It is God’s unfailing love that keeps us firmly linked in grace and committed to His greater glory in our lives.

God has always treated people with grace, beginning with Adam and continuing through the Patriarchs, prophets, and everyone in between.

We are all descendants of Adam; we had no say in our first birth, but we had to learn from it (John 16:33).

As a result of our sin, He takes us in and reconciles us, making us no longer His enemies but rather His friends again (John 14-15).

As a result, you have gained God’s approval.

We have actual riches in the implications of justification, which is our access to God through the Holy Spirit as a result of what Christ has done.

The love that emanates from us comes not from ourselves, but from God, who sends His Spirit to guide us (1 Cor.

We cannot demonstrate love; all we can do is respond to it and obey it.

4:4), and as a result, we must place our faith in God and His timing rather than our own.

We have love, hope, joy, and grace at our disposal.

We have access to God at any moment.

The fact that our sins are covered and removed from His sight gives us confidence and hope; yet, it is only by faith that we may accept and enjoy these blessings.

This understanding contributes to our sense of well-being!

They genuinely aid in the advancement of one’s spiritual life!

God does not always remove them from our lives; rather, He takes us through them and utilizes them to help us mature and develop our personalities.

Trials are not a personal assault on us, but rather an opportunity for God to work in us in a more profound way so that we might be of greater service to Him in the lives of others.

Are you aware of everything that Jesus has done for you?

Christ’s redemption consists in the fact that He has taken away our sins and has saved us in faith for the glory of God!

What kind of life do you want to lead?

As Christians, we must keep our attention on the cause (Christ) rather than the consequence (what He has done), since the effect will come from a natural desire, resulting in development and maturity.

We dedicate ourselves to Christ: Our identity is based only on who we are in Christ, and nothing else.

We shall be able to distinguish between Christ’s interests in others and our own interests in ourselves (John 15:3; Rom.

9:22).

We offer our service to Christ in the following ways: True service consists in doing things for others that we do not particularly enjoy doing ourselves (2 Cor.

Our service should not be dictated by our own demands or requirements.

When God tells us to be salt and light, all we do is separate ourselves into a sub-culture, which is counterproductive.

We need to keep our eyes on Him and our minds on Him at all times!

It is necessary for us to put Jesus first (John 15:12; 21:17; 2 Peter 1:5-7; 3:9; 3 John 7) and allow Him to work in our lives.

Love is also disciplined, consistent, and spontaneous in its manifestations.

Christ will come to our aid when we are at our most desperate need.

As Abraham demonstrated by faith, justification is not an escape from the awful things that happen in our lives; rather, it is a beginning point for building and developing character, patience, and dependence on God’s mercy.

Our response to our Lord and His love, shown through passion and obedience, is what it is all about: this is what Discipleship is all about.

We must recognize the joy (James 1:2-4), as well as the hope (Heb.

This is fundamental to the pursuit of life and liberty.

We would give up and get captivated by correction or oppressed into drudgery if we did not have hope.

As we progress through life, we learn; and, when we learn, we grow; and, when we grow, we develop character, as well as refine and improve our devotion to Jesus Christ.

Our actual riches are our character and the work He is doing in our lives through us.

We must understand who we are in Christ if we are to take this hope to new heights and apply it with passion and conviction.

This hope will not only fuel our liberty, but it will also fuel our worship, as we give thanks to God for all that He has done. Consider what Jesus Christ has done for you. Do you understand what he has done for you? Questions:

  1. Is there anything Jesus can do to assist you when you’re sad and out of sorts? What can He do to assist you
  1. Has it occurred to you that the implications of our justification are our genuine wealth, rather than what we produce or earn or achieve
  1. Has it occurred to you that the implications of our reasoning are our actual riches, not what we manufacture, or what we earn, or what we do
  1. What is/was the barrier that had previously separated us from God that has now been eliminated
  1. In your opinion, what does it mean that you now have certainty and hope and that your sin and shame have been washed away? However, it must be accepted and received by whoever and in what capacity.
  1. What exactly is the function of repentance? The question is, how can you keep repentance on your mind and in the forefront of your Christian journey?
  1. What is it that you must do in order to allow your goal for development and maturity in your life to be realized?
  1. How can you demonstrate to people that faith and obedience are the fruits and evidence of the Christian life, rather than the instigators of it
  1. Can you demonstrate to others that faith and obedience are fruits and evidence of the Christian life, rather than the catalysts for it
  2. And
  1. The foundation of our faith is in Christ and His character, not in ourselves. So, how can you put this “Christ-esteem” into practice?
  1. “True service is doing for others what we would rather not do for ourselves.” So, what activities do you despise doing?
  1. Do you know what you can do to reinforce that your identity is based only on your relationship with Christ?
  1. When was the last time Christ came to you in your time of greatest need
  1. The Christian faith’s primary objective or “prime directive” (to use a Star Trek term) is to achieve salvation.
  1. What are some of the ways that challenges may help you grow spiritually? Lots of Christians believe that only those who are sinful or have little faith suffer the consequences of their actions, and that if you have enough faith, you will be blessed. Is this something from the Bible? If yes, what is the reason behind this? If not, what is the reason behind this?
  1. The answer of love is to place Jesus at the forefront of our thoughts and actions. So, how are you going to go about it?
  1. If God delivers you people and events that you do not like, how can you learn to be better and have greater character by accepting and learning from them?
  1. How do you conduct your life in such a way that it shows that you have been restored in the righteousness of Christ, as a completely new creation?
  1. How do you live your life in such a way that it represents the fact that you have been restored in the righteousness of Christ as a completely new creature
  2. And

What Would Jesus Really Do? Here are 10 Examples of What We are Called to Imitate

We should all strive to emulate Christ in our daily lives, and I understand the motivation behind the WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) movement. However, we must acknowledge that Jesus had a very different ministry than any of us, and drawing direct analogies will be tough. For example, what would Jesus do in the case of a paralyzed man who was in desperate need of healing? He would absolve him of his crimes (that would be blasphemy coming from me). What would Jesus do if he had the power to undo an evil curse that was responsible for all that was wrong in the world?

He intends to overturn tables and money changers, push merchants out of business, and make sweeping allegations.

However, while the WWJD paradigm may not directly apply in many instances, there is, in general, submission to God’s authority and His rule, which Jesus both demonstrated and taught.

Worship God alone

It’s normal for the heart to fall in love with what it considers worthwhile; sentiments will inevitably follow. “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him alone must you serve,” Jesus cautions. (Matthew 4:10; Luke 4:10)

Preach the message of repentance

The biggest demand of Jesus was for everyone to repent: “Unless you repent, you will all die likewise.” (See also Luke 13:3). It was the teachings of Jesus that “repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all countries, beginning at Jerusalem.” The Bible says (Luke 24:46-47).

Make disciples

The continual effort to educate and encourage is an important part of discipleship, aside from the evangelistic component of it. It is plainly stated in the Bible that discipleship involves “training them to obey all things that I have ordered you.” (Matthew 28:20; Mark 12:20). It is critical to expose individuals to a degree of biblical teaching that actually fosters sanctification and spiritual progress over the course of their entire lives.

Help the poor

What you are doing is actually pretty simple: when you love and serve the poor, you are also loving and serving Christ (Matthew 25:35). “.He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” This is how Jesus taught us to share from the abundance of our blessings. (See Luke 3:11 for more information.)

Pray

It is beneficial to recite the Lord Jesus’ message on prayer on a consistent basis. Start with learning the fundamental structure of the Lord’s Praying, which can be found in Luke 11. This will assist you in developing habits that will lead to more effective prayer in the future.

Be careful what you sow

It appears throughout the gospels, particularly in the Sermon on the Mount; for example, the kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are poor in spirit; those who are meek will inherit the earth; those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied; and those who are merciful will receive mercy.

“Do not be misled; God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap,” Paul the Apostle writes in Galatians 6:7-8. Indeed, “he who sows to his body will harvest corruption,” but “he who sows to the Spirit will reap eternal life,” according to the Bible.

Not worry

God provides for the sparrow, and He dresses the lilies in a beauty that surpasses that of even Solomon in all his splendor – God is good. How much more does your heavenly Father want the best for you and your family? As the rest of the verse in Matthew 6:31-34 explains, “Therefore, do not be concerned about what to eat and drink or what to dress, for these things are not up to you.” Because your heavenly Father understands that you require all of these things. Rather, seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all of these things will be added to you.

See also:  Why Did Jesus Ride A Donkey?

Love His enemies

Do kind to those who hate you, Jesus says (Luke 6:27); pray for those who persecute you, Jesus says (Matthew 5:44); and bless those who curse you, Jesus adds (Luke 6:27-36). “If you love people who love you, what reward do you have?” says the author. What makes you think that even the tax collectors don’t do the same?” (See Matthew 5:46.)

Adhere to the Golden Rule

Simply simply, you should treat people how you would like them to treat yourself. ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’, according to Jesus, is considered one of the most important commandments. Take appropriate precautions.

Honor Father and Mother

We are taught by Jesus to honor and respect our mothers and fathers, no matter how much they have merited it. With the first commandment comes the promise that “everything will be well with you and that you will live a long time on the world.” (See also Ephesians 6:3).

What did Jesus actually do for us? — DesireJesus.com

Imagine going to a church worship session and never hearing the gospel message taught or preached. That is what it would be like. Unfortunately, there have been several instances in the past when this has been an issue, and it continues to be a source of concern in some situations today. We have a tendency to lose sight of who Jesus is and what He has decided to achieve on our behalf. Reading the Scriptures can provide us with the opportunity to gain new insight into a subject matter. The value of being reminded of something we already know but haven’t necessarily thought about in a long time comes in other situations.

Christians will learn something new as they consider the book’s content, while others will be reminded of topics they haven’t thought about in a long time.

What type of future would we be looking forward to right now if He hadn’t stepped in to help us out?

We’ve become so accustomed to the advantages He provides that we don’t stop to contemplate the type of mess we’d be in if He didn’t exist.

It is important to recognize that the work He has done on our behalf is considerably more significant and far more effective than we frequently appreciate.

1. Jesus experienced death and resurrection in order to defeat sin’s power in our lives

Because Christ likewise suffered once for sins, the righteous for the wicked, so he may bring us to God, he died in the flesh but was raised to life again through faith in the Spirit,”— 1 Peter 3:18, ESVS Throughout my life, I have sprained my right ankle on a number of occasions. Two of the sprains were considered serious. I couldn’t even walk properly. My leg was swelled almost all the way up to my knee and had changed colors many times. When the injuries were new, it seemed as though the anguish and suffering would last forever, but it did, gradually, eventually end.

  1. During Christ’s earthly career, His body was subjected to cruel treatment.
  2. However, His suffering was only for a short period of time.
  3. I see depictions of Him suffering on a daily basis, and I realize that some theological traditions maintained by some Christian denominations approach communion as if it were a reenactment of Jesus’ crucifixion, but this is not the truth.
  4. He is not trapped in a situation of constant agony and pain.
  5. Before humans sinned against God, we were told that if we did not maintain a close relationship with the Lord, we would perish in the process.
  6. Every single one of us was guilty, and none of us could rectify the situation since we were all guilty of the same offense.
  7. In order for us to be saved, Jesus took on flesh and became a man, suffering the punishment we deserved.
  8. The righteous died in the place of the guilty in order to appease God’s anger against our sin and subsequently to bless us with the gift of His righteousness, which we lacked at the time of our transgression.
  9. Those who put their faith in Jesus can now look forward to experiencing resurrection, since the Holy Spirit indwells everyone who believes.
  10. In our lives, Christ has conquered their power because of his sacrifice.

2. Jesus proclaimed His victory over those who were defeating us

“when he went and declared to the spirits in prison, since they had previously refused to obey, while God’s patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being made, in which a few, namely, eight humans, were taken safely over water.” ” — 1 Peter 3:19-20, English Standard Version There is a great deal of disagreement over what is intended by these passages. Some of the issues raised by this chapter are constantly argued by theologians, and I don’t expect that we will be able to resolve all of the issues raised by these lines today in our discussion.

  • The verse paints a picture in my mind’s eye of Jesus announcing His triumph over those who took pleasure in defeating His people.
  • According to legend, there are such entities as angels and demonic beings.
  • They are a distinct and independently formed order of entities.
  • It is recorded in the Bible that this world was populated with people who were in a state of constant rebellion against God in the days before the great flood.
  • And they were free to choose whom they wanted to be their spouses.
  • These were the powerful heroes of yore, the men of fame, the men of legend.
  • — Genesis 6:1–5, English Standard Version We’re also given the sense that fallen angels may have had children with human women, which would have contributed to the depravity that existed on the planet, much to God’s chagrin at the time.

As a result, if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and imprisoned them in chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment; if God did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; — 2 Peter 2:4-5, English Standard Version During this historical period, the Lord instructed Noah to construct an ark.

  1. The ark was enormous.
  2. People would almost probably have seen it and inquired about it during that time period.
  3. The fact that they could have chosen to repent of their disbelief toward God every time they looked at it and considered what it meant is a testament to their character.
  4. When the floodwaters rolled in, just eight individuals were able to get inside the ark.
  5. As part of his campaign against mankind, Satan pushes us to insult the God who created us and gave us life.
  6. According to certain interpretations, 1 Peter 3:19 is informing us that, shortly after Christ’s resurrection and ascension, He proclaimed to the fallen angels who had been fighting against mankind throughout human history that they had been victorious over humanity.

Jesus has stated that their attempts to undermine mankind and God’s goals for His most valuable creation have failed, and that they will not succeed in their endeavors.

3. Jesus has allowed us to identify with Him

“Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a cleansing of filth from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ” says the Apostle Paul. ” — 1 Peter 3:21, according to the ESVM The other night, my family and I were watching a classic sitcom together. One of the major characters was about to begin high school in the story. In the hopes of making good friends with the coolest person in school on his first day, he planned to spend the rest of the day getting to know him and learning more about him.

  • We are fortunate in that this is not the case.
  • It is through Baptism that we become associated with Him in our own situation.
  • When we put our faith in Jesus, we are taught that we are baptized with the Holy Spirit, joined with Christ, and united with one another.
  • And we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether we were in slavery or freedom, for we were all baptized into one Spirit.
  • While some individuals believe that water baptism has the ability to save a lost soul, such thinking is incorrect.
  • Even Peter himself admits that the baptism that saves is not the washing away of filth from the person’s body.
  • Water baptism is a tangible sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which took place the moment we accepted Christ as our Savior.
  • He has bestowed upon us the gift of His righteousness, and He is not ashamed to refer to us as His brothers and sisters in Christ.
  • We may confidently approach God the Father, knowing that when He looks at us, He will see the righteousness of Christ present in our hearts and minds.

4. Jesus rules and reigns with perfect judgement

Angels, authorities, and powers have been subordinated to him, as he has ascended into heaven and is sitting at the right hand of God. — 1 Peter 3:22 (KJV) ESVI was recently made aware of a news item claiming that an increasing number of individuals were having difficulty getting a decent night’s sleep. On being asked why, many of those who responded stated that they were kept up at night by their dread of international leaders making wrong or potentially hazardous judgments. They called into question the judgment of those who had been entrusted with the authority to lead nations and make governmental policy in their own countries.

  1. Despite the fact that human leaders regularly fail us, our ultimate hope should never be placed in the hands of those we elect to public office.
  2. According to this passage of Scripture, Jesus is seated at the right side of God the Father.
  3. However, there is a day coming when Heaven and Earth will be joined, and Christ will rule with fairness, kindness, and perfect justice, as evidenced by his visible rule.
  4. When I looked up, I saw a new heaven and a new earth, since the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no longer there.
  5. It was a sight to behold.

“He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, nor will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, nor will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” — Revelation 21:1-4, Revelation 22:1-2, Revelation 23:1-2, ESVI s When you think about all that Jesus has done for us and all that He still has planned for us, it’s quite astounding.

He suffered for us, conquered sin’s power over us, announced His triumph to those who were determined to defeat us, permits us to identify with Him via baptism, and He governs and reigns with perfect justice and kindness on the earth.

When we become too preoccupied with ourselves or our day-to-day circumstances, it is easy to lose sight of these advantages. The tremendous grace of our Savior and Lord, on the other hand, is brought to our attention on a regular basis by the word of God. John Stange, et al., 2017

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