\u201cAnd being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at
\nmeat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of
\nspikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on His
\nhead.\u201d Mark 14:3
\nNo event recorded more beautifully pictures the sacrifice of our Lord
\nand Savior. A woman entered into the place where the Lord was and came
\nto Him\u2026broke a stone box of alabaster filled with a precious ointment of
\nspikenard and poured the contents on His head. Many thought the act to
\nbe nothing more than a waste, but the Lord declared it to be a good work
\nwrought on Him for when the box was broken and the precious ointment
\nflowed forth, the broken body and the shed blood of Christ for the
\nredemption and justification of God\u2019s sheep was declared. MS<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ
\nJesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.\u201d 1
\nTimothy 1:15<\/p>\n
This is THE Gospel. There is no other Gospel but salvation by grace
\nthrough faith in Christ alone. (Eph. 2:8; Gal.1:6-9) I will preach it to
\nall who will listen, and I will declare it even when they won’t. (2Tim.
\n4:1-5). Yet there is only one type of person that God intends to save by
\nthe Gospel of Jesus Christ. They are sinners. These elect, redeemed, and
\ncalled people are sinners. They are without merit, without
\nrighteousness, and without hope. They are dead, blind, and leprous
\nsinners. And these alone will hear the Gospel, believe the Gospel, love
\nthe Gospel, and support the Gospel for Jesus only came to save sinners,
\ntherefore I long to preach to sinners. Pastor Fred Evans<\/p>\n
JOY TO THE WORLD<\/p>\n
I love to sing the hymns about the Savior\u2019s birth. The world associates
\nthese songs with Christmas, but they are not Christmas carols. They are
\nsongs rejoicing in the birth of Christ the Savior. The joy found in
\nthese songs is not that a cute baby was born. The joy in these songs is
\nin why that baby was born. God was born as a man so He would be able to
\nestablish righteousness as the representative of His elect who were
\nsinful men and women. God was born as a man so He could be the
\nsubstitute for His elect who were sinful men and women, and by His
\nsacrifice for them, put their sin away. None of that would have been
\npossible unless God became a man. Pastor Frank Tate<\/p>\n
Matthew 26: 45: Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them,
\nSleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the
\nSon of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.<\/p>\n
Our Savior had not slept since the night before. He had been striving
\nagainst sin in the garden of Gethsemane in such agony until he sweat
\ngreat drops of blood. The hour was at hand when there would be no rest
\nfor our Substitute, only unimaginable suffering in place of his people
\nas God awoke the sword of justice against his Shepherd. Yet, our Savior
\nstood watch so his disciples could rest.
\nBeliever, as we behold the faithfulness, patience, love and care of our
\nSavior toward his disciples at such a monumental time as this, be
\nassured that now that he has put away our sin and reigns supreme at
\nGod\u2019s right hand, our great High Priest shall certainly show us the
\ngreatest tenderness and constant care that unchangeable love and grace
\ncan bestow.
\nClay Curtis.<\/p>\n
Christ Our Substitute
\n\u201cThen released he Barabbas unto them: and when he had scourged Jesus, he
\ndelivered him to be crucified\u201d (Matt. 27:26).<\/p>\n
God has ordered by His marvelous providence a vivid picture of every
\nbeliever’s Substitute. Barabbas was rightly charged, convicted and
\nsentenced to be executed. He was found guilty of murder, robbery and
\nsedition against Rome. When the executioner came to release him, he was
\ntold Jesus had taken his scourging and crucifixion and that he could go
\nfree.<\/p>\n
Barabbas is a type and picture of sinners for whom Christ Jesus died
\n(1Tim.1:15). We stand guilty before the law of God (Rom. 3:19-20). We
\nwere justly convicted of great offences against God (Psalm 51:4). We
\nwere waiting the execution by God’s holy law (Rom.6:23). However, by the
\norder of Almighty God, Jesus Christ was sent to rescue, redeem and
\nrelease sinners (Matt.9:13; Luke 4:18).<\/p>\n
Believers no more merit release and rescue than Barabbas did
\n(Eph.2:1-4). But God in His sovereign grace sent the gracious
\nSubstitute, the Lord Jesus Christ to take our place and set us free
\n(1Peter 3: 18). Christ Jesus paid our debt to God’s law and justice and
\ncleared us of all guilt (Gal. 3:10-13;). Christ Jesus took our scourging
\nand with His strips we are healed (Isa. 53:5). Christ Jesus took our
\ndeath and gave us His life (1John 5:12). He took our sin and gave us His
\nrighteousness (2Cor. 5:21). He was condemned though innocent (1Peter
\n2:22), that we might be justified though guilty (Rom.3:24-26; 8:1).<\/p>\n
There is infinite merit in all that Christ performed for His covenant
\npeople (Heb. 2:17; Rom. 5:6-11). Surely, it is right to honor and
\nworship the Lamb of God that takes away all our sin and that brings in
\nand freely imputes to us an everlasting righteousness (1John 3:5; John
\n1:29; Rom 4:6). God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our
\nLord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto
\nthe world (Gal. 6:14).
\nTom Harding<\/p>\n
There is A Substitute<\/p>\n
The \u201cgood news\u201d of the gospel is that there is a substitute who has
\nstood in the place of every repentant sinner and bore the wrath of God
\nin his place. He did this for all whom the Father had given him from all
\neternity. It is for them that he prays in John 17. They are \u201cHis Sheep.\u201d
\nThe Father gave them to him; and he died for them (John 10:15, 29).
\nSubstitution is at the very heart of the gospel. Christ did not simply
\ngive his life to make salvation possible for those who contribute their
\npart to what he has done by repenting and trusting Christ. He it is that
\ngives repentance and faith (2 Timothy 2:25; Ephesians 2:8). Christ did
\nnot say to the religious Jews of his day that they were not of his
\n\u201csheep\u201d because they did not believe; rather, he says, \u201cYe believe not
\nbecause you are not of my sheep.\u201d If they had been his sheep they would
\nhave believed. The \u201cgood news\u201d is that all whom the Father has given to
\nthe Son, and for whom he died will believe and manifest true repentance
\nand faith. This they will do willingly and with gratitude in their
\nhearts. It is God\u2019s work. He cannot fail.
\nBill Clark<\/p>\n
“He shall drink of the brook in the way; therefore shall he lift up the
\nhead.”\u2014Ps. cx. 7.
\nThe brook of Kedron was a black brook (for so the word Kedron signifies)
\ninto which all the filth from the sacrifices was thrown; it was the
\nbrook over which the Son of God passed in the night that he entered the
\ngarden of Gethsemane. Now, as the whole Psalm from which this portion is
\ntaken, refers to the person of Jesus, nothing can be more plain than
\nthat David, by the spirit of prophecy, is here describing the deep
\nsufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. By the
\nexpression, drinking of this black brook, it is intended to convey an
\nidea of the “cup of trembling” put into the Lord Jesus’s hands, when he
\nsustained all the sins and filth of his people, and in consequence as
\ntheir surety, all the Father’s wrath against sin. Hence the Lord said,
\n“The cup that my Father giveth me, shall I not drink it?” My soul!
\npause, and ask thyself, doth not this sweet but solemn verse give thee
\nprecious instruction, when thou considerest that all thy filth, and all
\nthy defilements, were imputed, by the Father himself, unto the person of
\nthy glorious surety? Is it not blessed thus to see, that by Christ’s
\ndrinking “of the brook in the way,” he took all thy transgressions, and
\nwas made both “sin and a curse for thee, that thou mightest be made the
\nrighteousness of God in him?” And though, in himself, he was “holy,
\nharmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the
\nheavens,” yet, as the surety of his people, he was made black with sin
\nand suffering; “his visage was marred more than any man, and his form
\nmore than the sons of men.” Precious Jesus! may I never lose sight of
\nGethsemane, the mount of Olives, and the brook Kedron! Here, by faith,
\nlet my soul frequently take her evening station, and behold thee
\n“pouring out thy soul unto death, numbered with the transgressors,”
\ndrinking “of the brook in the way,” that thy sacred head might be lifted
\nup, first on the cross in suffering, and then with thy crown in glory!
\nRobert Hawker ( the poor man’s morning and evening portion)<\/p>\n
Unconditional Love
\nGreg Elmquist
\n“God is love” (I John 4:8). He defines love. He is the source of all
\ntrue love. Any ‘love’ that is inconsistent with His love is no love at
\nall. So, where did man get the notion of “unconditional love”? Well,
\nobviously from his perverted view of God. For the God that is, knows
\nnothing of unconditional love. Our God loves righteousness and hates
\niniquity, Heb. 1:9. The Lord loves The Righteous, Ps. 147:8. There is
\none huge condition on God’s love . . . Absolute Perfect Righteousness.
\nTo say God loves anything or anyone else is to blaspheme His Holiness.
\nThe Lord Jesus Christ (and by imputation those that are in Him), is the
\nonly object of God’s love. ‘. . . the love of God, which is in Christ
\nJesus our Lord’ Rom. 8:39.<\/p>\n
Those who talk of unconditional love deny God’s glory in salvation by
\ndenying the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. The essence of His
\nnature (righteousness), and the purpose of HIS death (substitution and
\nsatisfaction), was so that God’s condition for love would be met. Mark
\nit down, those who talk of unconditional love do so to cover up and
\nexcuse their own sin. It may fool men but God is still angry. And what a
\nfearful thing it is to fall into the hands of an angry God.<\/p>\n
THE CROSS
\nHenry Mahan
\nWhen the Apostles declares that he will only glory in the THE CROSS OF
\nOUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, he does not refer to the actual cross of wood on
\nwhich our Lord died nor to crosses which adorn church property and hang
\nfrom ears and necks. He refers to all that out Lord (in His person and
\nwork) IS, DID, and DOES to redeem His elect. THE CROSS IS A WORD WHICH
\nSTANDS FOR MANY WORDS! It is the atonement, the honoring of the law, the
\nsatisfying of justice, the righteousness of God the propitiation,
\nsubstitution, satisfaction, salvation, eternal life, and the sure
\nmercies of David.<\/p>\n
The cross is DEATH, yet in it is life.
\nThe cross is SHAME, yet God’s greatest glory.
\nThe cross is LOSS, yet infinite gain.
\nThe cross is FOOLISHNESS, yet the wisdom of God.
\nThe cross CONDEMNS, yet pardons in full.
\nThe cross is JUSTICE, yet in it are mercy and love.
\nThe cross is HUMILATION, yet by it He is exalted.
\nThe cross is HELL, yet the open door to heaven.
\nThe cross is in the PAST, yet determines our great future.<\/p>\n
When from the dust of death I rise
\nTo take my dwelling in the skies,
\nEven then shall this be all my plea,
\nThat JESUS LIVED AND DIED FOR ME!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cAnd being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on His head.\u201d Mark 14:3 No event recorded more beautifully pictures the sacrifice of our Lord and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5139","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-bulletin-editions"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5139","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=5139"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5139\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5140,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5139\/revisions\/5140"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=5139"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=5139"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.shoalhavengospelchurch.org.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=5139"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}