Resurrection (of Jesus Christ) – Page 9

Songs for Sunday, January 12, 2025 @ Christ Community Church

Sunday’s coming, and I’m excited!

When I say that, I’m not talking about some sort or religious obligation for attending church or anything like that. My mind is drawn to my need for Jesus and the fact that He would deign to accept one like me.

There were times in my life when thinking of Sunday was more religious than relationship, but the older I get and the more I think about all that Jesus has done (and is doing and will do), the more I think of Sunday like the imagery in Hebrews 4:14-16.

The writer of Hebrews begins this section talking about Jesus as the “great high priest”. That phrase can definitely be acquainted with religious ideas and temple life and sacrifices, but Jesus is something different.

High priests are typically “chosen from among men” and “appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God” (Hebrews 5:1). Jesus is different. He is God become man to be the sacrifice for men to be able to come to God.

High priests would typically need to “offer sacrifice” for their own sins “fust as [they do] for those of the people” (Hebrews 5:3). Jesus is different. He has no sins to sacrifice for because He “has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). He is the Lamb of God bearing our sin.

High priests worked and worked and worked on behalf of the people before God, but all of their work was just a shadow of what was to come. Jesus is different. Jesus is all substance, and no shadow, being Himself “the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5:9-10).

Because Jesus is different, we are not limited to showing up for some religious observances over and over again, dwelling only in the suburbs of God’s grace and partaking only of shadows. Because Jesus is our high priest, He has made a way for us not just to be in relation to God but for us to be able to approach Him — to go directly to “the throne of grace” (Hebrews 4:16).

For those bringing their animals for the high priest to slaughter and make atonement for their sins, the idea of approaching God’s throne would be a frightening thing. Think of Isaiah’s “woe is me” talk when he had a vision of the holy, holy, holy God seated on His throne; he knew he was unclean and unworthy to look upon “the King, the LORD of hosts” (Isaiah 6:1-5)! The King of kings seated on the throne is still holy, holy, holy and we are still sinners. the King of kings seated on the throne is the divine word who discerns “the thoughts and intentions” of our hearts, laying us bare — “naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account” (Hebrews 4:12-13).

Yes, Jesus is the King of kings.

Yes, Jesus is holy, holy, holy.

Yes, Jesus is Lord.

No, we are not any of those things and neither worthy nor holy. We are not God, and most of us could not stand even alongside Isaiah to state our “woe” in God’s presence. But Jesus is also our high priest! He has made atonement for our sins! He has made a way for us to come before Him (John 14:6, 2 Corinthians 5:21, 1 John 2:1-2)!

This is why the imagery of Hebrews 4:14-16 is so heavy on my mind. I have the opportunity and privilege to approach the throne of grace in my time of need. Because I have confessed Jesus as Lord and believed upon Him — but my trust in Him to save me, I have assurance to be able to approach Him without fear of death and punishment because He Himself has “bore [my] sins in His body on the tree, that [I] might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Peter 2:24). I don’t have to say “woe is me” because He put Himself through woes on my behalf.

Because of this, I can approach His throne with the confidence of a child waking a parent in the middle of the night for a drink of water. I can turn to Him with the assurance that I not only may approach Him for help but be confident that I will “receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

That’s good news!

But it’s not just good news for me. It is good news for all who trust in Him, all who are saved by grace through faith in Him.

So, Sunday’s coming, and we have the opportunity to gather together on the first day of the week — the Lord’s day — and remember His death, burial, and resurrection. We have the opportunity to gather with brothers and sisters who have been saved by grace through faith and approach the throne of our Lord together, confident that His grace and mercy are enough, sufficient, and eternally flowing toward those He loves.

If this doesn’t describe you, know that there is good news and grace enough for you, too. Your sin can be forgiven. You can be saved. There is grace enough and room enough and good news enough for you and all who call on His name.

You won’t find anything relgiously impressive. You won’t find impressive priests or practices. You won’t find perfect people. You will find a bunch of sinners — and hypocrites — whose only hope is Jesus. He is who will will read about. He is who we will sing about. He is who we will preach about. And that’s because He’s our only hope. He’s our King. He’s our God. He made a way for us and there is no place we’d rather be than gathered around His throne in a small picture of how we will get to be when this world passes away and He gathers His people to Himself.

Won’t you join us?

Here are our Scriptures and songs:

Scripture | Hebrews 4:14-16 —

¹⁴Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. ¹⁶Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Song | Grace Wins —
Scripture Inspiration: Romans 3:23, Romans 5:6-8, Romans 5:16-18, Romans 8:1, 1 Timothy 1:13-14, Ephesians 1:6-7, 2 Corinthians 9:8, John 1:16, Ephesians 2:7, Ezekiel 36:26, 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12, Luke 15:11-32, John 4, Matthew 9:27-31, John 9, Luke 16:19-31

Song | What He’s Done —
Scripture Inspiration: Matthew 7:33, Mark 15:22, Luke 23:33, John 19:7, Matthew 26:26, Colossians 1:19-20, 1 Peter 1:19, John 8:36, Isaiah 53, Psalm 147:3, John 3:16, John 15:13, Romans 8:5-8, 1 John 1:9-2:2, Acts 4:12, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, Hebrews 2:14, Philippians 2:5-11, 1 Corinthians 15:50-57, Revelation 4:1-11, 1 John 5:4, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 5:12, Philippians 4:8

Scripture | Romans 6:4-7 —

⁴We were buried therefore with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.
⁵For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like His. ⁶We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. ⁷For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Song | Who You Say I Am —
Scripture Inspiration: Psalm 8:4, Luke 15:3-7, John 8:36, John 1:12-13, Romans 8:23, Colossians 2:14, John 8:34-35, John 14:1-3, 1 Peter 2:9, 1 Thessalonians 1:4, Hebrews 13:5, Romans 8:31-32

Song | Resurrecting —
Scripture Inspiration: John 19:2-5, Hebrews 2:9, John 13:1-17, Philippians 2:10, 1 Peter 2:24, Psalm 93:1, Matthew 4:16, John 1:4-5, 1 John 4:18, John 8:12, Acts 4:8-12, Isaiah 25:8, Hebrews 2:14, 1 Corinthians 15:55-57, Psalm 145:1, Romans 6:23, John 14:27, Romans 8:9-11, Galatians 4:6, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Galatians 2:19-20, Matthew 27:65-28:4, Acts 4:33

Invitation | Though You Slay Me —
Scripture Inspiration: cf. Job 13:15; James 1:14-15, Psalm 147:3, Hebrews 12:4-11, John 3:16-17, Romans 5:6-8, Philippians 3:7-11, Job 1:20-22, Psalm 30:1, Psalm 46:1-3, Psalm 73:26, Hebrews 12:2, John 1:29, Revelation 5:12, Genesis 50:20, Matthew 26:39-42, Numbers 18:20, Deuteronomy 10:9, Deuteronomy 18:2, Joshua 13:33, Psalm 16:5, Psalm 23:5, Psalm 73:26, Psalm 142:5, Psalm 119:57, Psalm 142:5, Lamentations 3:24, Ezekiel 44:28

Offertory | Wonderful, Merciful Savior —
Scripture Inspiration: Psalm 17:1, Psalm 145:8, Isaiah 44:24, John 15:15, John 1:29, Isaiah 9:6, John 14:16, Psalm 42:1, Psalm 42:11, Romans 5:3-5, Isaiah 53:6, Psalm 47:6, 1 Chronicles 29:11, Hebrews 4:16, Job 8:5, 1 Timothy 1:17, 2 Corinthians 12:8-10

“The LORD is a Stronghold” from Psalm 9 (#dailyPSALMSchallenge)

The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
Psalm 9:9

Psalm 9 is a celebration of God’s justice, faithfulness, and salvation. David opens with a powerful declaration of praise to God: “I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of Your wonderful deeds” (v. 1). Throughout Psalm 9, he does just that: recounting God’s past acts of deliverance and expressing praise through trusting in His eternal reign.

David reflects on God’s role as judge. God is able to both rebuke the nations and destroy the wicked, blotting out their names forever (vv. 5-6). This righteous judgment reminds us that God’s justice is not limited by time; He is enthroned forever, ruling with fairness and protecting the oppressed (vv. 7-9). For those who trust in Him — in His name, God offers refuge and security as a mighty stronghold, never forsaking His people (v. 10).

Psalm 9 also highlights God’s concern and care for the weak and afflicted. He remembers their cries and avenges their suffering (v. 12). David pleads for deliverance himself, trusting that God is able and will lift him from the “gates of death” so he can praise God in the “gates of the daughters of Zion” (vv. 13-14). The reversal from near-death to rejoicing is a powerful testimony to God’s power and grace.

God’s justice is clear in Psalm 9. The wicked often fall into the traps that they have set for others (v. 15), yet ultimate justice belongs to the Lord, who will one day judge the world completely in His righteousness. Until then, the needy and poor can take comfort in the knowledge that He has not forgotten them — and that hope in Him will not perish (v. 18)!

Seeing Jesus in Psalm 9

Psalm 9 anticipates Jesus’s reign as the righteous Judge of all nations. As Paul declared in Acts 17:31, God has “fixed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom He has appointed” — Jesus is the appointed Judge as well as our assurance because of His resurrection.

In His first coming, Jesus brought hope to the oppressed and salvation to the lost. When He returns, He will bring final justice and an end to all evil.

David’s plea for deliverance also foreshadows Jesus and His gospel. Just as David was able to rejoice in God saving him from the “gates of death”, we can rejoice that Jesus conquered death itself through His resurrection. Through Him, believers are delivered from sin and eternal death and transferred into His Kingdom to rejoice in Him forevermore (Colossians 1:13-14)!

Reflection

Psalm 9 gives an example of David worshiping the Lord out of a grateful heart. Take time today to thank God for His faithfulness in your own life. Consider His acts of justice and salvation — both in the world around you and through Jesus. Follow David’s example and recount His wonderful deeds and sing His praises so that those around you can hear about Jesus.

The #dailyPSALMSchallenge gives us the opportunity to start 2025 in God’s Word by digging into a psalm a day. Each day will identify a key passage for us to meditate on as well as seeking to help us see Jesus in the psalm and reflect on what we have read.

Won’t you take the challenge?

Good News of Great Joy (or The Weary World Rejoices)

³For I passed on to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, ⁴and that he was buried, and that he was raised up on the third day according to the scriptures, ⁵and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve, ⁶then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at once, the majority of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep.
1 Corinthians 15:3-6

He made the one who did not know sin to be sin on our behalf, in order that we could become the righteousness of God in him.
2 Corinthians 5:21

⁸But what does it say? “The word is near to you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim), ⁹that if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For with the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation. ¹¹For the scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” ¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, who is rich to all who call upon him. ¹³For “everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Romans 10:8-13

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

📖 Revelation 3:7–13We’re back!After a few months off, The King is Coming returns in 2026 with one of the most encouraging letters in Revelation — Jesus’s message to the faithful church in Philadelphia. In a world filled with opposition and weakness, Jesus opens a door no one can shut.In this episode, Keith Harris and Jamie Harrison explore:✔️ Jesus’s identity as the Holy One, the True One — God Himself✔️ What the “key of David” means and how Jesus alone opens and shuts✔️ The debated phrase “I will keep you from the hour of trial” — and how to read it biblically✔️ Why “little power” doesn’t disqualify faithfulness✔️ How being kept through the trial glorifies Christ’s strength in us✔️ What it means to be a pillar in God’s presence foreverThis church had no rebuke — only encouragement. And Jesus’s call still stands today: “Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.” (Revelation 3:11, ESV)🔗 Missed earlier episodes in the series? You can click here to catch up and listen from the beginning.✍️ If you’d like to see a written version of this podcast, complete with footnotes and cross-references, you can find it here.

We have spent a good bit of time the past few weeks at Christ Community in Luke 2:10 and the verses around it. The declaration of the angels to those poor and frightened shepherds should about be memorized at this point: “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring good news to you of great joy which will be for all the people”. Good news. Great joy. For all people.

The word translated “good news” is often translated gospel, and the message that the angels proclaimed on that hillside 2,000 years ago is a beautiful and succinct picture of the gospel. They preached that the Savior “who is Christ the Lord” was born for them – for those dirty, stinky shepherds – and that He could be found that very day in Bethlehem. It was news that would and could change the trajectory of their lives. They just needed to believe in Him and receive the salvation He had to offer – they would receive grace by faith through Him.

Now, I know that on the day they heard that gospel message Jesus was still laying in the feeding trough, still an infant, and was decades away from His death, burial, and resurrection. But the babe in the manger was still “the Word [become] flesh” (John 1:14). He was still the Lamb slain “before the foundation of the world” (Ephesians 1:4).

We sometimes want to overcomplicate things. We know the whole story and want to add and fill in the gaps in the angels’ proclamation that day, but the “good news of great joy” is still just as simple. In fact, Paul gives very succinct proclamations of the gospel, too. The first can be found in 1 Corinthians 15 where he tells the church at Corinth that he is passing on to them the most important message he had to offer – the very same message that he received himself: Jesus died for our sins according to the way that the Bible said He would, He was buried, and He rose from the dead on the third day exactly as the Bible and His own preaching said He would. That’s good news!

Paul’s second succinct gospel summary comes in his next letter to the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 5:21. In one complex little sentence, he shares that God put the sins of those who would be saved on Jesus. Jesus had never sinned and did not deserve any condemnation, but He willingly bore our sin on our behalf. Those who trust in Him no longer are under the condemnation and shame due to their sin; Jesus bore that (Colossians 2:13-14). In a great exchange, Jesus traded His righteousness for our sin. He bore the wrath of God and exchanged that for God’s favor. Basically, He traded His extravagantly full bank account for our bankrupt one so that when God looks upon those who Jesus has saved, He does not see their sinfulness but Jesus’ righteousness! That’s good news!

The gospel is good news, but there is also bad news. Those who do not confess Jesus as Lord and believe He died for their sins and rose again to not receive part in that great exchange. They remain in their sin. Their condemnation remains their own. It does not have to be that way. All who call out to Jesus in faith will be saved. Anyone who believes in Him will not be but to shame, but not believing leaves the shame where it belongs – on the sinner.

Look at how the Christmas hymn “O Holy Night” puts it:

Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn
Fall on your knees!

Those who are without Jesus are still in their sin and “pining” after the wrong things, sinful things. But everyone – all people – have the opportunity to fall on their knees, believe in Him – confess Him as Lord, and repent of their sin. And those who do will not only have heard the good news of great joy but also to have believed it and received the salvation Jesus offers.

I love the phrase “good news of great joy” because 1) it is straight from the Bible, and 2) it captures what Jesus offers. But I also love the way the writer of “O Holy Night” captured what it is to be a sinner and receive Christ: “a weary world rejoices”. If you have been reading with us over these past two weeks, you have read snippets of the “good news of great joy”, but have you received it? Have you believed on Jesus, or are you still on the fence? If you haven’t, I urge you: fall on your knees, believe what the Bible says about Him, confess Him as Lord, and rejoice in the salvation He brings!

Good News of Great Joy | Christmas Eve, December 24 — “The Resurrection of Jesus”

Luke 24 concludes with the hope and joy of Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, a fitting reflection on Christmas Eve as we prepare to celebrate His birth tomorrow. This chapter invites us to marvel at the completeness of God’s redemptive plan, which began in a humble manger and was fulfilled in an empty tomb.

A New Beginning: The resurrection marks the triumph of life over death, just as Jesus’ birth ushered in light to a dark world. As you reflect on the empty tomb, remember that Christmas celebrates the beginning of this miraculous story.
Hope Fulfilled: The disciples on the road to Emmaus moved from despair to joy as Jesus opened their eyes to God’s promises. This Christmas, let your heart burn with hope as you trust the One who fulfilled every prophecy.
Peace and Assurance: Jesus brought peace to His disciples, proving His resurrection by showing His scars and eating with them. He offers us the same assurance—our Savior lives, and His peace is for all who believe.
A Call to Worship and Witness: The disciples responded to the risen Christ with worship and proclamation. As we celebrate His birth tomorrow, let our joy overflow in worship and bold witness, sharing the good news that Christ has come, died, and risen for us.

On this Christmas Eve, look forward to tomorrow with awe and wonder, knowing that the child born in Bethlehem is the risen Lord who reigns in heaven. May your celebration of His birth be filled with the same joy and hope that the disciples experienced as they worshiped the resurrected Savior. Merry Christmas!

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

The Empty Tomb (24:1-12)^[1]

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. ²And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, ³but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. ⁵And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? ⁶He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, ⁷that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” ⁸And they remembered his words, ⁹and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. ¹⁰Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, ¹¹but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. ¹²But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

The Road to Emmaus (24:13-35)^[2]

¹³That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, ¹⁴and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. ¹⁵While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. ¹⁶But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. ¹⁷And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. ¹⁸Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” ¹⁹And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, ²⁰and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. ²¹But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. ²²Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, ²³and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. ²⁴Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” ²⁵And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! ²⁶Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” ²⁷And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

²⁸So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, ²⁹but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. ³⁰When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. ³¹And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. ³²They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” ³³And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, ³⁴saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” ³⁵Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

Jesus Appears to His Disciples (24:36-49)^[3]

³⁶As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” ³⁷But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. ³⁸And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? ³⁹See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” ⁴⁰And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. ⁴¹And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” ⁴²They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³and he took it and ate before them.

⁴⁴Then 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.” ⁴⁵Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, ⁴⁷and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹And 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.”

The Ascension of Jesus (24:50-53)^[4]

⁵⁰And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. ⁵¹While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. ⁵²And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, ⁵³and were continually in the temple blessing God.

[1] On the first day of the week, women arrived at Jesus’ tomb with spices but found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. Two angels appeared, reminding them of Jesus’ words that He would rise on the third day. They reported this to the apostles, but their testimony was met with disbelief. Peter ran to the tomb, saw the linen cloths, and marveled.

[2] Two disciples, one named Cleopas, walked to Emmaus, discussing the events of Jesus’ death. A stranger joined them, explaining how Scripture foretold the Messiah’s suffering and glory. At dinner, their eyes were opened, and they recognized the stranger as Jesus, who then vanished. Filled with joy, they returned to Jerusalem to share the news.

[3] Jesus appeared to His disciples, offering peace and proof of His physical resurrection by showing His hands and feet and eating with them. He explained that His death and resurrection fulfilled Scripture and commissioned them to proclaim repentance and forgiveness to all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. He promised the Holy Spirit would empower them.

[4] Leading the disciples to Bethany, Jesus blessed them and ascended into heaven. Overwhelmed with joy, they returned to Jerusalem, worshiping Him and continually praising God in the temple.

Songs for Sunday, December 8, 2024 @ Christ Community Church

Sunday’s coming, and I’m ready. I need it.

I usually start off with “Sunday’s coming, and I’m excited”, but I’m not always excited. I don’t want to be disingenuous or depressing. The reality of that phrase “Sunday’s coming” is rooted in Jesus’s resurrection and His return. The reality of this fallen world is that there is sorrow and terror and unspeakable things; so I look to the hope that comes from Jesus’s resurrection, the expectation of peace that comes with His return, and echo my earlier sentiment: I’m ready. I need it.

This week’s Advent theme is peace.

If there was ever a week that I longed for peace, it has been this one. It seems that there are more pieces and shambles than peace. My heart has cried out, “Come, Lord Jesus” (Revelation 22:20), more in the past few days than in some time. I have prayed and pleaded with Him, seeking to intercede for folks I love, asking Him to pick up the broken pieces and mend mournful and sorrowful hearts giving His indescribable peace numerous times (1 Timothy 2:1, Psalm 147:3, Isaiah 61:1, Philippians 4:7, John 14:27). I pray it even now.

Peace is in short supply here on Earth, but it is in overflowing abundance in heaven where Christ is!

Look at the way Colossians 1:19-20 describes the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ:

For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of His cross.

Read that last part again: “making peace by the blood of His cross”.

Isaiah gave us a picture of this centuries before Jesus’s life, His crucifixion:

But He was pierced for our transgressions; He was crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.
Isaiah 53:5

Read the part about peace again: “upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace”.

Jesus makes peace. Jesus bears the sin, shame, and sorrows that we have a brings peace instead. Jesus is the Prince of Peace and gives peace to His people (Isaiah 9:6-7, Luke 2:14).

This is the reason I have been pleading with Him on behalf of hurting people (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Philippians 4:6-7). This is the reason I come to Him in prayer. Peace is His (John 14:27). It is in short supply in our broken, sinful, fallen world — in this world of death and destruction (Romans 8:22), but in Jesus is Light (John 8:12), in Jesus is Love (1 John 4:9-10), in Jesus is Salvation (Acts 4:12, John 14:6), in Jesus there is peace (John 16:33). He manufactures it. He holds the trademark and copyright. Peace belongs to Him. Peace comes from Him. Peace is part of who He is (Ephesians 2:14, Isaiah 9:6).

When I think about how people desire peace in the world today, I am reminded of the reason that comic books were so great a draw for me as a kid. There was nothing like seeing someone in their most desperate moment have the hero swoop down in between them and danger. Superman was always my favorite. You could have a train bearing down on you, and he could fly down, take the impact of the train, and never even slide toward you. He could catch bullets with his hands. He could do, well, whatever danger and come out unscathed and unhurt. But Superman isn’t real. Comic book rescues are make believe, barely a genre away from fairy tales and nursery stories.

There is danger in this world. There is destruction. There is death. There is no caped crusader swooping in to save the day, and even if there was, he or she can only save some. They are limited. Regardless, the fact that they are fictional limits them altogether.

Jesus, however, is real. He did not swoop in and come out unscathed. He came and lived the life we couldn’t live — remaining sinless through it all (Hebrews 4:15, 2 Corinthians 5:21). God put on flesh and lived here on the earth with us (John 1:14) and then bore our sin and shame on the cross (1 Peter 2:24, Isaiah 53:5-6), taking the full brunt of God’s wrath due our sin, and paying the ultimate price for the wages of our sin (Romans 3:23-25, 6:23). We deserve death, and Jesus did that for us (Romans 5:8, 1 Peter 3:18).

In comic books, like in soap operas, death is just a momentary hindrance. A few strokes of the pen can come up with some cavalier and clever explanation for why the hero wasn’t really dead. Not Jesus, though. He really died (John 19:30, 34; Mark 15:37). He was buried (Mark 15:46). But, praise be to God, He rose from the dead (Matthew 28:5-6, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4)! We have looked at passages above that show how He made our peace and brings us peace by His chastisement and cross (Isaiah 53:5, Colossians 1:19-20, Romans 5:1), but He keeps that peace because He is alive (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 7:25, Revelation 1:18).

One of the coolest, most awe-inspiring hero scenes in a movie comes at the end of The Passion of the Christ. This is just a movie’s representation, but it points to the awesome reality and real life event of Jesus’s resurrection. Check it out here:

Whatever troubles and sorrows plague you now have an expiration date. Jesus is alive. Jesus is coming. Jesus has made a way for us to have peace in Him and is the only One who can give it.

Won’t you look to Him in your time of need?

That’s why we are singing about how we are in awe of Him tomorrow. We don’t sing to and praise Him out of some religious obligation; no, we have just never seen anything like Him. We have never experienced anything like Him. This world has troubles and tribulations, but He has already overcome this world (John 16:33).

So, tomorrow, we at Christ Community invite you to come and seek the Prince of Peace with us. We invite you to come and read from His Word. We invite you to come and hear His Word sung — and to lift your own voice to sing as well. We invite you to sit under the preaching of His Word. We invite you, more than anything, to come to Him. His is worthy. He is willing to save. And what’s better news than that?

Here are our Scriptures and songs:

Advent Reading | Peace —

As the second candle of peace shines, consider the profound peace brought by Jesus, the Prince of Peace, mentioned in Isaiah 9:6-7 and Luke 2:14. His birth signifies reconciliation between God and humanity, offering a deep, lasting peace found only in a personal relationship with Christ. His teachings guide us towards peace with God, ourselves, and others. Let this candle inspire a desire for reconciliation and peacemaking in a divided world.

This portion of Advent also draws attention to Bethlehem. Reflecting on Bethlehem’s seemingly insignificant setting reminds us of God’s penchant for using ordinary places for extraordinary purposes. In this portion of Advent, amidst feelings of insignificance, remember that God loves you dearly. Take a moment to pause, acknowledging how God specializes in using the small and insignificant for His glory. Pray that God uses you for His purpose—to bring peace and reconciliation to those around you, to bring people to Him.

Scripture | Philippians 2:5-11 —

⁵Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, ⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, ⁷but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. ⁸And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ⁹Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, ¹⁰so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, ¹¹and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Song | O Come All Ye Faithful —
Scripture Inspiration: Luke 1:26-38, Luke 2:13-14, Psalm 8:5, Hebrews 2:7-9, Matthew 26:53, Matthew 2:11, Luke 2:17, 1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 19:16, Job 38:7, John 1:1, John 1:14

Song | Adore Him —
Scripture Inspiration: Matthew 2:1-11, Micah 5:2, Luke 2:7-17, Isaiah 9:6, Psalm 95:6, Philippians 2:10-11, Isaiah 55:8-9, 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, Isaiah 53:2-3, Luke 1:48

Scripture | Psalm 145:1-3 —

¹I will extol You, my God and King, and bless Your name forever and ever. ²Every day I will bless You and praise Your name forever and ever. ³Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.

Song | Adore —
Scripture Inspiration: Psalm 98, Malachi 3:1-2, Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 11:10, John 12:15, 1 Timothy 6:13-16, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:11-16, Matthew 25:1-13, Genesis 3:14-24, Galatians 3:13, Revelation 21:1-7, John 14:6, Exodus 33:19, Psalm 103:8, Isaiah 60:1-22

Song | In Christ Alone —
Scripture Inspiration: John 14:6, Ephesians 5:8, Psalm 28:7-8, Psalm 40:3, Ephesians 2:19-22, Matthew 7:24-27, Romans 5:1-8, Joshua 1:9, 2 Timothy 1:7, 2 Corinthians 5:15, Galatians 2:20, 2 Corinthians 1:3-7, 1 Corinthians 15:28, Philippians 2:16, John 19:38-42, John 8:12, John 3:19-20, Acts 3:15, Acts 4:33, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, Romans 6:15-23, 1 Corinthians 15:54-57, Galatians 3:13, Revelation 21:3, Ephesians 1:7, 1 Peter 1:18-19, Romans 8:1-2, Romans 1:16, Deuteronomy 4:39, Psalm 115:3, Isaiah 43:13, Daniel 4:35, Ephesians 1:11, Matthew 16:17-19, Romans 8:35-39, John 10:28-30, Psalm 115:18, Revelation 5:9-13, Luke 9:23-26, Philippians 2:5-11

Invitation | O Come, All Ye Unfaithful —
Scripture Inspiration: John 1:38-39, Luke 2:8-20, Isaiah 53:7, John 1:29, 1 Peter 1:19, Revelation 5:6-13, Revelation 7:9-17, Revelation 12:11, Hebrews 9:22, 1 John 4:16-19, Hebrews 4:15-16, Matthew 11:28-30

Offertory | Go Tell It on the Mountain —
Scripture Inspiration: Isaiah 52:7, Matthew 28:19-20, Romans 10:15, Luke 2:7-11, John 1:9, Philippians 2:6-7, John 3:16, Titus 2:11

Join us in our Good News of Great Joy advent readings:

"Kept Through the Trial: Jesus's Letter to the Church at Philadelphia" (The KING is Coming) – Refresh & Restore | A JustKeithHarris.com Podcast

Songs for Sunday, December 1, 2024 @ Christ Community Church

Sunday’s coming, and I’m excited!

Tomorrow, we kick of the Advent season at Christ Community. The first week is all about hope. We’ll be singing Christmas songs and lighting the first Advent candle, but it’s about more than that — hope is about and found in Jesus!

The hope that comes from Jesus is not a vague, hypothetical wish but a confident expectation based on the promises of God. Advent draws our attention to God’s faithfulness, seen in His fulfillment of the prophecies surrounding Jesus’s first coming AND His promise that Jesus will return!

Isaiah 7:14 declares, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel.” Centuries before Jesus’s birth in Bethlehem, God promised our redemption through His Son Jesus.

Romans 15:12-13 reminds us that hope isn’t limited to just Israel — or us — but extends to all peoples and nations: “The root of Jesse will come, even He who arises to rule the Gentiles; in Him will the Gentiles hope. May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” If you’re reading this, it is likely that you are one of the Gentiles. Paul wrote this letter to the church at Rome longer ago than Isaiah was before Jesus’s birth, and we can hope in it just the same! That’s good news, especially since we find out that this hope is not based on our feelings but on the Holy Spirit’s power within us!

So, we wait. We wait with expectation. We hope.

Lamentations 3:26 gives us a good picture of this: “It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” Well, Israel had centuries of silence, centuries without a prophet with a thus-saith-the-Lord, until the silence was broken by the cry of an infant — by the literal and divine Word of God (John 1:1-14)! We don’t have to wait in silence, though, waiting for a Word because we HAVE THE WORD FULLY — in Jesus and in His written Word! And it is in His Word — in Him — that we find hope as we wait for His promised return, trials and troubles and worldly sorrow notwithstanding because God’s hope has been poured out on us in love by the Holy Spirit to carry us through (Romans 5:1-5)!

Tomorrow, at Christ Community, we are going to sing a version of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” that has quickly become one of my favorite songs — not just at Christmas but of all time. This song captures the heart of Advent and calls us to reflect on the longing that Israel had for Jesus and see how our anticipation of Jesus’s return should be.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel!
Shall by His Word our darkness dispel!

O Come, Thou King of nations bring
An end to all our suffering
Bid every pain and sorrow cease
And reign now as our Prince of Peace!

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel!

Rejoice! Emmanuel (God with us) has come and is coming again! Rejoice!

We can hope in Him because He has promised, and “He who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23)!

Won’t you gather with us as we read from God’s Word, sing from God’s Word, and hear John open and preach from God’s Word tomorrow?

Here are our Scriptures & songs:

Scripture | John 1:1-5 —

¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. ²He was in the beginning with God. ³All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ⁴In him was life, and the life was the light of men. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Song | The Son of God Came Down —
Scripture Inspiration: Luke 2:7, John 1:1-5, John 1:14, John 1:34, Ephesians 2:14-16, Philippians 2:5-8

Song | Born to Die —
Scripture Inspiration: John 1:1-5, John 1:14, Luke 2:6-15, Matthew 1:21, Romans 6:23, Luke 19:10, Revelation 7:9-10, Revelation 5:13

Scripture | John 1:9-14 —

⁹The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. ¹⁰He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. ¹¹He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. ¹²But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, ¹³who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

¹⁴And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Song | Noel —
Scripture Inspiration: John 1:14, 1 John 4:9-10, Matthew 2:1-2, Luke 2:13-14, Philippians 2:10-11, Matthew 2:11, Luke 2:11, John 4:42, Isaiah 9:6, Luke 1:32-33, Revelation 11:15, Luke 2:15-16, Psalm 66:5, John 3:16, Romans 5:8, John 8:12, John 1:4-5, Isaiah 9:2, Hebrews 4:15, John 1:1-2, Colossians 1:16-17, Isaiah 53:3-5, Luke 19:10, John 11:25, 1 Corinthians 15:21-22, Revelation 1:8

Song | O Come, O Come Emmanuel —
Scripture Inspiration: Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 35:10, Psalm 137:1, Lamentations 1:3, Malachi 3:1, Luke 1:31-33, Luke 1:78-79, Isaiah 9:2, Malachi 4:2, John 8:12, 2 Samuel 22:29, Psalm 23:4, Hebrews 2:14-15, Zechariah 9:9, Isaiah 12:6, Deuteronomy 18:15, John 6:14, Isaiah 22:22, Revelation 3:7, John 14:6, John 14:16-17, Psalm 23:3, John 14:2-3, 1 Peter 3:18, Hebrews 4:14-15, Hebrews 7:25, Hebrews 9:26, 1 John 2:2, Romans 8:1, John 5:24, Ephesians 2:13, Hebrews 10:19-22, Isaiah 9:6-7, Revelation 19:16, Revelation 21:4, Romans 8:18, Isaiah 25:8, Psalm 147:3, Micah 5:4-5, John 14:27

Invitation | There Was Jesus —
Scripture Inspiration: Colossians 1:15-21, Philippians 2:5-11, Matthew 7:24-27, Matthew 11:28-30, Psalm 51:7-8, Hebrews 13:8, John 14:6, 2 Corinthians 4:4, Ephesians 2:1-5, Hebrews 11:9-14, Colossians 3:16, Psalm 23, Isaiah 43:2, Revelation 1:8

Offertory | Joy to the World (King is Coming) —
Scripture Inspiration: Psalm 98:4-9, Malachi 3:1-2, Isaiah 9:6, Isaiah 11:10, John 12:15, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:11-16, Matthew 25:1-13, Genesis 3:14-24, Revelation 21:1-7, John 14:6, Exodus 34:6, Numbers 14:18, Psalm 145:8-9, Isaiah 60:1-22, Revelation 22:20

I’m Thankful for Salvation in Christ Alone by Grace Alone through Faith Alone — Gratitude & Hope Challenge | November 19

I’m thankful for salvation in Christ alone by grace alone through faith alone!

What makes grace so amazing? It’s that God saves us not because of who we are or what we’ve done but because of who He is. In our sin, we are spiritually dead, unable to save ourselves. But God, rich in His mercy and overflowing with His love, makes us alive through Jesus. Salvation is not something we can earn; it is a gift of God’s grace that must be received through faith in Jesus (alone).

This means that our works, our goodness, or even our religious or church activities cannot save us. No one can ever be good enough to meet God’s perfect standard (Romans 3:10, 23) but Jesus (1 John 2:1-2). He lived the sinless life we couldn’t live, died the death we deserved on the cross, and rose again to offer us new life. When we trust in Jesus — put our faith in Him believing that He is enough and that He died and rose again, we are forgiven, made alive, and welcomed into God’s family through adoption (John 1:12, Romans 10:9-10).

Faith is not about trying harder to fix ourselves but about turning to Jesus and trusting Him fully.

Grace means that God does what we cannot do. Jesus makes the dead alive, the lost found, and the broken whole. That’s good news!

Today, if you’ve not experienced this grace, I invite you to put your faith and trust in Jesus. if you’ve already trusted in Christ, let your heart overflow with thankfulness for the gift that you did not earn but He gave freely — salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone!

This is why I’m thankful, and this is why I have hope. What about you?

All through the month of November, our Christ Community Church family is focusing on what we are thankful for and expressing our thanks to our “great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us” (Titus 2:13-14).

This, like the #DailyWisdomChallenge we went through in October, is a challenge from our pastor John Goldwater — the #GRATITUDEandHOPEchallenge — where we have the opportunity to post Bible passages that move us to thanksgiving or in which we find hope. May this lead you to be grateful and find your hope in Jesus!

I’m Thankful for the Blessed Hope of My Redeemer — Gratitude & Hope Challenge | November 18

I’m thankful for the blessed hope of my Redeemer.

I love that phrase that Paul uses to describe the second coming of Christ in Titus 2:13: “blessed hope”. It is unique and very clearly and carefully describes what those who are in Christ have in Him and how they are able to live in this world with the expectation of Him coming again.

First, to see why I am so thankful, we need to know what Paul meant by “hope”. That word in the original language meant being able to desire something good and expect to obtain it. This is different from the way the word “hope” is used in modern English where it operates closer to a wish. My school kiddos might say something like, “I hope I make a good grade on this test”, but if they stay up until the middle of the night on their phone, fall asleep in the middle of the test, and/or zone out while reading passages, their will fail it. They hoped or wished, maybe merely even wanted, to make a good grade, but there was no real expectation or reason to expect doing well.

Biblical hope is different from that, and primarily because it is not left up to us but left up to Jesus. We can desire His coming and expect to experience it because He has already come, meaning we can trust He will again. We can desire His coming and expect to experience it because He is “our great God and Savior” with the strength and wherewithal to make anything happen. In fact, everything that exists has happened because of Him. His track record is proven and proof.

Second, that word “blessed” adds a whole other level to “hope”. The word translated “blessed” here is the same word that we see in the beatitudes at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:3-12). People have been tempted to translate that word as happy, but happy in English has the connotation of good luck because hap- refers to circumstances. Think about the difference between happy and joyful. Happiness is fleeting and changes based on, well, circumstances. This word “blessed” is not circumstantial but Christ-produced. It is marked by God’s favor and that fullness/satisfaction that comes His Spirit within us.

Blessed hope, then, is the expectation of Jesus, our Redeemer, coming again that has been produced in our heart by God Himself. Blessed hope is saturated in the favor of God because it is a grace-gift to know that the One who redeemed us, purchased us by paying our sin debt with His blood on the cross, is coming to take possession of us. Blessed hope satisfies even in the not yet of life now because God’s very Spirit is already with us now, giving us more than a hypothetical happenstance because of His sure ever-presence.

I know that is a long and nerdy way of saying this, but “blessed hope” is really something else and only exists through Jesus. This world is constantly changing and getting worse the farther we get from the Fall, and if we’re not careful, we can fall into despondency and despair. We need the Holy Spirit reminder that this world is not all there is. We need to be able to trust in something and know that everything will be good eventually. But looking at the world gives us none of that, and the hypothetical hopes fail and hurt us.

We need something better than this world. We need something out of this world. We need Jesus. He’s coming. Our “blessed hope” is coming. And we are waiting for His appearance.

Lord, thank You for being our blessed hope and giving us reason to hope for the future. Thank You for being the God we can trust and know that Your promises will come to pass. Help us to be the people You are redeeming us to be. Help us to live as Your people. Help us to live in the expectation that Your coming will be soon. Amen.

Songs for Sunday, November 17, 2024 @ Christ Community Church

Sunday is coming, and I can hardly wait!

Most often, I write the “Songs for Sunday” post on late Friday night or early Saturday mornings because that’s when I get to shift gears in my brain from the weights of the work week to rest and reset on the weekend. That shift helps me get my focus and my priorities back in their proper places. It also serves as a good reminder that Sunday morning worship does not begin on Sunday morning but in the days, and especially the night, before. This week, however, I find myself with surplus time on Friday and a muse to motivate me earlier.

Friday mornings are my favorites of the week because I GET to start with student-led Bible study at school in our FCA/FCS (Fellowship of Christian Athletes/Students). These kids are on fire for Jesus and show it by getting up week after week and sharing testimonies, passages of Scripture, devotions, and sometimes sermons. They challenge me because they are braver than I am. It’s easy to stand up in church and proclaim the Word. It’s a whole other thing to stand up in front of 40-50 peers at school and share your faith. The teachers and staff who show up are superfluous other than getting to silently witness them share their faith. And share their faith they do, compelled to do so by the love of Christ they have experienced and want others to be able to experience, too (2 Corinthians 5:14).

This morning’s devotion stood out to me on two accounts. First, the young lady boldly shared what God had brought her through and the assurance she had in His Word that He would continue to bring her through and would bring others through. Second, she talked about how spending time with God in His Word was a necessity — as vital to maintaining eternal life as oxygen is to life in general. To illustrate that importance she used Colossians 3:16:

“Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

This is the verse that stays at the forefront of my mind in praying through and planning the Scriptures and songs we will use in our worship gatherings. I have written on it often in these “Songs for Sunday” devotionals. But it hit freshly this morning, and I rejoice in that because I — like we all do — need to be reminded again and again of the grace God gives us.

On Sunday mornings, it is not enough to use the bible, to mention it from time to time, and merely have songs based on it. No, we need it to “dwell in [us] richly”, being the substance of our teaching, our admonishing, and our singing. This is not just for Sunday morning, though. We need to have the Word dwell richly in us throughout the week — Sunday worship spurring us on to continue throughout the week.

We want our songs to be filled with the Word. Psalms meaning that we sing directly from Scripture; hymns meaning we sing and expound the great doctrines found in the Word; and spiritual songs that share our mutual testimony as those who were dead in their trespasses but have been made alive together in Christ.

We want all that we read, say, and sing to be centered on the gospel of Jesus Christ — the good news of all He has done (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, Colossians 1:13-14), is doing (Romans 8:28-29, Philippians 1:6), and has promised to do (John 14:2-3, Revelation 21:3-4)!

And we want it — no, we need it to be like that every other day, too.

I am thankful to have been reminded of this today. Rather than singing a refrain of George Jones’s “Finally Friday” like I normally do, I find myself singing “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”, thinking about the good news that He has come and looking forward to Him coming again to receive us to Himself.

What about you?

I hope as you have read this you have been encouraged to get into the Word — to have it dwell in you richly and to impact your life and faith. I hope it motivates you to make plans to gather with other believers on Sunday morning as believers have done since the stone was rolled aside from Jesus’s empty tomb.

If you do not have a church home and are in the Grenada, MS area, we would love to have you at Christ Community. John will open the Word to feed us what God has for us. The praise team will lead us in singing and reading from the Word. And the choir, the congregation, will lift praise and worship to an audience of one — the One who died for us and rose again — the One who lives and cares for us even now — the One who has come and is coming again.

Won’t you gather with us?

Here are our Scriptures and songs:

Scripture | Acts 26:15-18 —

¹⁵And I (Paul) said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. ¹⁶But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, ¹⁷delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you ¹⁸to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’

Song | I Saw the Light —
Scripture Inspiration: Psalm 14:1-3, Proverbs 21:16, Romans 3:10-11, Romans 3:23, 1 Thessalonians 5:2-5, Revelation 16:15, Acts 26:13-18, Psalm 107:10-16, Luke 1:79, John 12:46, Ephesians 5:8, Colossians 1:13, 1 Peter 2:9, Matthew 11:28-30

Scripture | Galatians 6:14 —

But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Song | Lead Me to the Cross —
Scripture Inspiration: Matthew 20:28, Luke 9:23, John 1:14, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

Song | At the Cross (Love Ran Red) —
Scripture Inspiration: John 4:14, Romans 5:21, 1 Timothy 1:16, Galatians 2:19-20, 1 Peter 2:24, 1 Peter 1:18-19, Mark 10:29-30, John 3:15-17, John 5:24, John 5:39-40, John 6:27, John 6:40, John 10:28, John 17:3, John 20:31, Romans 6:22-23, Romans 8:18, 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, Galatians 6:8, 1 Timothy 6:12, 2 Timothy 2:11, Hebrews 5:9, 1 Peter 5:10, 1 John 2:23-27, 1 John 5:10-13, 1 John 5:20, Jude 20-21, Revelation 3:5, Revelation 7:16-17, Revelation 21:3-4, Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, 1 Peter 2:24, Ephesians 1:7, Hebrews 9:22, 1 Peter 1:2, Matthew 28:16-17, Revelation 5:6-10, Revelation 19:1-6

Scripture | 1 Corinthians 15:50-57 —

⁵⁰I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. ⁵¹Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵²in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. ⁵³For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. ⁵⁴When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
⁵⁵“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

⁵⁶The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. ⁵⁷But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Song | Death Was Arrested —
Scripture Inspiration: Ephesians 2:1-5, Romans 5:6-8, Revelation 20:14, Revelation 21:1-5, Galatians 2:19-20, 1 Peter 3:18, Romans 5:1-8, Romans 6:15-23, Colossians 2:13-14, John 19:28-30, 1 Corinthians 15:1-8, Revelation 1:18, Luke 15:11-32

Invitation | Come, Ye Sinners —
Scripture Inspiration: Matthew 11:28-30, Luke 5:27-32, Romans 3:21-26, 1 Timothy 1:15, James 4:6-10, Luke 15:11-32, Romans 8:18-30, Luke 9:51, Luke 22:39-46, Galatians 4:4-5, Isaiah 53, 1 Peter 1:3-9, 1 Peter 1:17-21

Offertory | O Come, O Come, Emmanuel —
Scripture Inspiration: Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23, Isaiah 35:10, Psalm 137:1, Lamentations 1:3, Malachi 3:1, Luke 1:31-33, Luke 1:78-79, Isaiah 9:2, Malachi 4:2, John 8:12, 2 Samuel 22:29, Psalm 23:4, Hebrews 2:14-15, Zechariah 9:9, Isaiah 12:6, Deuteronomy 18:15, John 6:14, Isaiah 22:22, Revelation 3:7, John 14:6, John 14:16-17, Psalm 23:3, John 14:2-3, 1 Peter 3:18, Hebrews 4:14-15, Hebrews 7:25, Hebrews 9:26, 1 John 2:2, Romans 8:1, John 5:24, Ephesians 2:13, Hebrews 10:19-22, Isaiah 9:6-7, Revelation 19:16, Revelation 21:4, Romans 8:18, Isaiah 25:8, Psalm 147:3, Micah 5:4-5, John 14:27

I’m Thankful for the FREE GIFT of Eternal Life — Gratitude & Hope Challenge | November 14

I’m thankful for the FREE GIFT of Eternal Life!

If you are reading this, I have good news for you: Jesus Saves! I hope that you’ll read on and see what it means to receive the FREE GIFT He offers us in salvation. If you’ve already received the gift, keep on reading anyway and be reminded of what you’ve been given.

Let’s look at what it means to be saved, why we need to be saved, and how you can be saved.

What It Means to Be Saved

Imagine someone swimming who has gone out over their head and is drowning. They cry out for a lifeguard to help. Thankfully, the lifeguard hears them and is able to rush to their rescue, pulling them to safety on the shore. That person has been saved from drowning.

This could also apply to someone who has been stuck in a burning building and fallen unconscious from inhaling all the smoke. Firefighters are called to the building and discover them. The firefighter picks up this totally helpless individual, carries them out of the building, and gets them to the paramedics. The firefighter and paramedics have saved this person from certain death.

In the same way, God provided Jesus to save or rescue every sinner who puts their trust in Him. No matter what we have done or who we are, Jesus can save us. Through Jesus, we find salvation by and eternal life by putting our faith and trust in Him.

The Bible describes this in John 3:16 –

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

Why We NEED to Be Saved

You might be thinking: well, it makes sense for someone drowning or trapped in a burning building to need to be saved, but what about me?

The Bible teaches us that all of us have sinned. Sin is an archery term that describes missing the bullseye. The bullseye is perfection and goodness. We might try to do right and good, but we fail at that. God is right and good, and our missing the mark or failing in this way separates us from Him.

Romans 6:23 tells us that the “wages of sin is death”. This means that our sin has earned us death and that there is nothing we can do to earn our way out of it. Thankfully, that is not the end of Romans 6:23; check out the full verse: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God has made a way for us! Just as John 3:16 tells us above, Jesus paid the penalty for our sin. He died in our place and offers us life instead. That’s good news!

How You Can Be Saved

The only way for us to be saved is to turn from our sins (and the punishment we deserve because of them) to Jesus and put our faith and trust in Him. We turn from our sin because we realize that we are in trouble and deserve death because of them. We turn to Jesus because we realize that, just like the person who was drowning or trapped in the burning building, we cannot save ourselves.

To put our faith and trust in Him means that we believe that Jesus fully paid the penalty for our sins and offers us forgiveness. The Bible teaches us that Jesus “Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree (the cross)” (1 Peter 2:24). Here is how the Bible tells us we can be saved:

“if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.” (Romans 10:9-10)

This is what it means when we say put our faith and trust in Jesus; we confess Him as Lord and give our lives over to Him, trusting that He knows best and acknowledge He is God, asking Him to take charge of our lives. We tell Him that we believe He is who the Bible says He is: the Savior who died for our sins and rose again. If we do this, not just saying some magic words but genuinely believing and seeking Him, the Bible tells us that we are saved!

Lord, thank you for offering salvation that is free to all who believe but cost so much at the cost of Your Son. Thank You for raising again and offering that life to all who believe and confess You as Lord. Thank You.