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online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen
&
Brooksyne Weber
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encouragement and exhortation.
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Friday,
November 25, 2022
This stone farmhouse from the 1800's is along the Donegal Creek trail that starts right across the road from our house. For years the landscape was filled with grazing sheep but the owners passed away in recent years and the current tenants are now raising livestock.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
"Much
More!"
Message
summary: The
atoning death of Christ
on the cross is the
supreme demonstration of
God's love resulting in
our reconciliation to
God. Today we
consider the phrase "much
more" in regard to
this act of mercy.
Listen to
our message on
your audio
player."Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation" (Romans 5:9-11).
In Wednesday's message we shared a photo of a missionary named Goforth, which struck me as a descriptive name for a missionary, like having your job description in your name!
Upon
posting this
photo Brooksyne pointed
out that we have a
missionary couple in our
church with another
descriptive last name,
Muchmore. Yesterday at
our Thanksgiving service
Dave Muchmore came to
the microphone and gave
a testimony. The
Muchmores have served in
Haiti for many years and
now are training others
for missionary work.
Much
more might be a
good theme to consider
after the day of
abundance and indulgence
many of us experienced
yesterday with a
traditional Thanksgiving
meal. Most had much
more than was
needed for sustenance.
It also fits today,
"Black Friday" when
retailers want us to
spend much more than we
should!
His
name prompted me to
consider the phrase
"much 
more"
in Scripture. It is used
37 times, the first
being a wonderful
response to an offering
requested by Moses when
the people brought in "much
more than enough
for doing the work
that the Lord has
commanded us to do”
(Exodus 36:5). This was
followed by, "So
Moses gave command,
and word was
proclaimed throughout
the camp, 'Let no man
or woman do anything
more for the
contribution for the
sanctuary.' So the
people were restrained
from bringing, for the
material they had was
sufficient to do all
the work, and more" (Exodus
36:6,7).
more"
in Scripture. It is used
37 times, the first
being a wonderful
response to an offering
requested by Moses when
the people brought in "much
more than enough
for doing the work
that the Lord has
commanded us to do”
(Exodus 36:5). This was
followed by, "So
Moses gave command,
and word was
proclaimed throughout
the camp, 'Let no man
or woman do anything
more for the
contribution for the
sanctuary.' So the
people were restrained
from bringing, for the
material they had was
sufficient to do all
the work, and more" (Exodus
36:6,7).However,
today I am drawn to
Romans 5 where the
phrase "much more"
is used 4 times in
regard to the
sufficiency of Christ in
meeting our need for
reconciliation with God.
Hardly
a day goes by that we
don't personally observe
the need for
reconciliation in
marriages, with family
members, co-workers,
business associates,
friends as well as with
other believers. Above
all, each one of us has
the need for
reconciliation with God.
We have heard people say, "Find out what God is doing", as if He's always changing and doing something different! People will flock to conferences, buy books or DVDs and participate in whatever program or seminar is currently hyped to find out what God is doing.
We have heard people say, "Find out what God is doing", as if He's always changing and doing something different! People will flock to conferences, buy books or DVDs and participate in whatever program or seminar is currently hyped to find out what God is doing.
But
God is doing what He has
been doing since the
original transgression
of Adam and Eve. He
is reconciling the
world to Himself
through Christ.
Specific methods change
but the overall plan;
His mission remains the
same. "All this is
from God, who
reconciled us to
Himself through Christ
and gave us the
ministry of
reconciliation: that
God was reconciling
the world to Himself
in Christ" (2
Corinthians 5:18).
The word "reconcile" comes from the Latin and means to "bring a person again into friendly relations with another after an estrangement". Reconciliation describes the change from a state of enmity between persons to one of friendship. It pictures the reestablishment of an interrupted or broken relationship.
Henry Blackaby writes,
The word "reconcile" comes from the Latin and means to "bring a person again into friendly relations with another after an estrangement". Reconciliation describes the change from a state of enmity between persons to one of friendship. It pictures the reestablishment of an interrupted or broken relationship.
Henry Blackaby writes,
"Sin
breaks our
relationship with God;
it severs
relationships with
others as well. Broken
relationships are the
epidemic of our day.
Sin alienates family
members, separates
friends, divides
churches, and destroys
marriages. Sin creates
mistrust, jealousy,
hatred, and greed, all
of which devastate
relationships. Only
Christ has the remedy
for the disastrous
effect of sin on human
relationships. As His
ambassadors, we are to
take the message of
reconciliation to a
broken, divided world.
We urge reconciliation
first with God, and
then with each other."
Reconciliation produces restoration of a relationship of peace which had been broken between God and man in the garden of Eden. Sinful man is reconciled to God in that his attitude of enmity toward God is changed to one of rejoicing. "For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by His life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation".
Hear this glorious truth: "We have now received reconciliation"! Rejoice in this truth and pray for opportunities to share it with others! Today all over the world, in large settings and in small, God is using His reconciled children to proclaim the glorious message of reconciliation.
Be
encouraged today, (Hebrews
3:13)
Stephen
& Brooksyne
Weber
Daily
prayer:
Father, it is
because of the
great love of
Your Son,
Jesus, and His
willingness to
take our sins
upon Himself
that we can be
reconciled to
You. It is the
greatest news
of all time
for all
generations.
We want to be
passionate as
Christ's
ambassadors
since You are
making Your
appeal through
our reaching
out to others
with the
greatest
message of all
time:
"Be reconciled
to God." When
we were lost,
broken, and
without hope
Christ
reconciled us
to You who
sought us,
repaired our
broken lives,
and gave us
eternal hope.
Where would we
be without
Jesus! Thank
You for
receiving,
redeeming,
reconciling
and restoring
us to
Yourself, our
Creator. Where
my sin
abounded Your
grace did much
more
abound for
which I will
be eternally
grateful.
Amen.Further study:
Four
times Paul
uses the
phrase "much
more" 4 times
in Romans 5.
In addition to
the two times
in our daily
Scripture
portion in
Romans 5:9-11.
"But
the free gift
is not like
the trespass.
For if many
died through
one man's
trespass, much
more have
the grace of
God and the
free gift by
the grace of
that one man
Jesus Christ
abounded for
many" (v.15).
"For
if, because of
one man's
trespass,
death reigned
through that
one man, much
more will
those who
receive the
abundance of
grace and the
free gift of
righteousness
reign in life
through the
one man Jesus
Christ"
(v.17)
Note:
In some
versions the
phrase is also
used in Romans
5:20 as
Brooksyne used
in the prayer.
"But where sin
abounded,
grace did much
more abound".
Reconciliation
is a vivid
word, pointing
to the making
of peace after
a quarrel. It
describes the
bringing
together again
people who
have been
estranged and
describes the
state of those
who have been
restored to
friendship. In
the New
Testament it
refers, of
course, to
God's
reconciling of
the world to
Himself
through the
work of Jesus
Christ on the
cross. Thayer
describes it
as "the
restoration of
the favor of
God to sinners
that repent
and put their
trust in the
expiatory
death of
Christ".
Pastor R. Kent Hughes comments, "The ministry of reconciliation is not telling people to make peace with God, but telling them that God has made peace with the world. The gospel is not good advice, but good news."
Warren Wiersbe sums it up, "Totally apart from Law, and purely by grace, we have a salvation that takes care of the past, the present, and the future. Christ died for us; Christ lives for us; Christ is coming for us! Hallelujah, what a Savior!"
Pastor R. Kent Hughes comments, "The ministry of reconciliation is not telling people to make peace with God, but telling them that God has made peace with the world. The gospel is not good advice, but good news."
Warren Wiersbe sums it up, "Totally apart from Law, and purely by grace, we have a salvation that takes care of the past, the present, and the future. Christ died for us; Christ lives for us; Christ is coming for us! Hallelujah, what a Savior!"
Today's
Suggested
Music and Supplemental
Resources
"Reconciliation
Song"
Video
People
and Songs
"His
Mercy Is More"
Video
Shane
& Shane:
"Saved
My Soul"
Video
CityAlight
Finally
today:
Growing
up cranberry
sauce in both
of our homes
was always
the jiggly,
jelly-like
variety that
came in a can
with the
distinctive
can ridges
still visible
when you
poured out the
entire
contents. How
many of you
have that
child memory?For
many years,
especially
since living
in New
England,
Brooksyne has
made her own
cranberry
sauce with
fresh
cranberries,
celery, an
orange,
crushed
pineapple,
pecans,
raspberry
jello, etc.
which we both
prefer. (See
photo)
However,
my brother Pat
always
insists on
having the
kind Mom
served us as
children
whenever we
have dinner
with his
family.
Well
Ocean Spray
now has one of
the funniest
ads regarding
their jiggly
product!
Video
Brooksyne's
sauce includes
celery,
orange,
pineapple,
pecans, and
raspberry
jello
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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, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. 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 make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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