Message summary: God's redemption plan will never need to be new and improved!

Listen to our message on your audio player.

“It is finished!” (John 19:30). "We have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Hebrews 10:10). “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

Throughout our lifetime we have seen many products that are new and/or improved.

Musing on this I consider how at our age we are enjoying riding electric bikes. To make it clear you still pedal and get some exercise, but it's easier on the hills and you're able to take longer rides before wearying.

Another improvement we've both appreciated this last year is the slip-in shoe. We can both still lean over and tie shoe laces but just standing and slipping in the shoes is sure quick and handy.

Though not brand new by any means, consider the soft-close toilet seat. Many of us recall the distinct sound of a slamming toilet seat, especially during the night when trying to sleep!

There have been many more new and improved products developed in our lifetime and of course many were developed before our birth, new to previous generations that we simply take for granted since we've had access all our life to these products.

But today let us consider a truth that is not new and never needs improvement. On the one hand it's an old, old story but on the other hand His mercies are new every morning; God's redemption plan. As we sang in our church service yesterday, "His Mercy Is More".

A reader sent us this note: “As I ponder what I am thankful for, I find many things, yet when I ask myself, what one thing am I most thankful for; three words from the Scripture tell it all. Three words that God gave us that have eternal meaning: 'It is finished'.”

Oswald Chambers wrote,

Pastor David Guzik writes,

In the third daily text, Peter, who at Christ’s death was at best a distant eyewitness to the Cross writes, “For Christ died for sins once for all”. Consider the phrase “once for all” (most prominent in the book of Hebrews). It speaks of finality and completion. When Jesus Christ died on the Cross it is very significant that He cried out “It is finished”.

“The righteous for the unrighteous”.  Henry Bosch tells the following story:

“To bring you to God”,  the wording is so important in this phrase. Christ has brought us to God. He led the captives out. The earnest believer worships in grateful acknowledgment for what God has done. It’s a “done deal” and we can “draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22).  Praise the Lord, It is finished! All peoples everywhere may now have salvation through faith in Christ, the forgiveness of sins! God's redemption plan will never need to be new and improved!

Be encouraged today, Hebrews 3:13

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, our hearts are stirred as we consider the extent of Your love in sending Jesus to die for our sins. As He wept over Jerusalem we see His tender humanity in relation to our sin problem. How grateful we are that Jesus yielded Himself fully to be used as a sin sacrifice, once for all, not just for Jerusalem but for peoples of every tribe and language; for all generations prior to His sacrificial death and for all who follow. We thank You, God, that You made Jesus who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness that You require so that we might have forgiveness of sins and become joint heirs with Jesus. We walk in newness of life, in the power of the resurrected Christ, with the living hope of eternal life in heaven. Praise You, Father, for this finished work of Christ, that redeems our soul, once and for all! Amen.

"I Should Have Been Crucified"  Watch on YouTube   Whisnants 

"His Mercy Is More"  Watch on YouTube   Calvary Church from our service yesterday. This service also has the very heartening baptisms of three young brothers from Kenya and an outstanding perspective on prayer.