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Monday, September 19, 2005


"Crushed For Our Iniquities"

"But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). "But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

Yesterday in our church we had Communion Service and remembered the death of Jesus Christ.  I preached from Isaiah 53, which is a remarkable messianic prophecy written some 700 years before Christ was born.  It is written in the prophetic perfect, meaning verb tenses convey a future event as if it had already happened. 

Effective teachers will often use colorful illustrations or actually demonstrate a truth to their students. Some of my most memorable times of growth in the Lord have been a result of a specific demonstration or illustration of a spiritual truth. One of the most effective demonstrative illustrations I ever recall using was the use of a "Victoria Strainer", in which I crushed grapes for a communion service. I am sure many who were in that service many years ago still recall.

Jesus employed both illustration and demonstration in His teaching ministry, but the supreme demonstration of His love involved His very own death on the cross. The daily verses should cause us to stand in awe of what God has done. In all the events of life that concern us today from our unique personal problems to the international situation, let us see with spiritual eyes the supreme demonstration of God's own love for us.

The underlying Greek word that is translated "demonstrate" in Romans 5:8 is "sunistasin" which is in the present indicative active. This connotes a sense that God's demonstration of love is ever a present event, although Christ's literal death on the cross was a "once for all" atoning sacrifice, "Christ died for us". The demonstration of His love is present, but the sacrificial death of Christ is final and complete.

The atoning death of Christ on the cross is at the heart of our Christian faith.  His death affected our redemption from sin, our reconciliation to God, and our restoration to wholeness.  Consider this truth expressed in this beautiful chorus we sang yesterday.

You did not wait for me to draw near to You
But You clothed Yourself with frail humanity.
You did not wait for me to cry out to You
But You let me hear Your voice calling me.

And I'm forever grateful to You
I'm forever grateful for the cross
I'm forever grateful to You
That You came, to seek and save the lost.  *


Be encouraged today,


Stephen C. Weber

Brooksyne's Prayer - Jesus, thank you for the completeness and finality of Your sacrificial death on the cross.  I am indeed forever grateful for my redemption from sin, my reconciliation with God, and for the restoration to wholeness that is a result of your grace. Help me to continue to grow in my relationship with You and have a heart to always walk in Your ways.



photo of Victoria Strainer
Here is a photo of a Victoria Strainer, which Brooksyne has used for many years to make juice from fruit and vegetables. The material is placed in at the top and mashed into the opening where an auger forces it through a strainer as the crank is turned. Out comes the juice (in this case grape juice).



Daily Encouragement Podcast – A reader in Canada is assisting me in developing a new means to share these messages called "podcasting" Here is an early test version based upon yesterday's message. The background music was composed by my pastor and friend, Jim Gambini.  "Crushed for our iniquities"  (This link should open a program on your computer and play the message.)
 
As mentioned this is test version. I prepared it Saturday night as I was completing the message. It has some mixing flaws and ends rather abruptly but should give you the idea. This podcast is about 8 minutes long. Most will be 3-5 minutes and will be prepared each morning sharing the same material as on the written daily encouragement. However as I already have been doing on the audio version I tend to be extemporaneous in these messages. Essentially the difference in the podcast and the audio version I've had for several years is that the podcast will be placed on a separate server and will be automatically downloaded to special podcast receiver software (which is free).

Here's some information on podcasting.

I hope to fully launch this new aspect of ministry this week after we are sure most of the bugs are worked out. I will share more about this when I get the go ahead from my Canadian friend!



* "I'm Forever Grateful" Mark Altrogge © 1985 People of Destiny International (BMI) (Admin. by Word, Inc.) CCLI License 2005306

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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.

Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."

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