So yesterday I said I would be typing in the morning… Unfortunately, that didn’t push through today. I’m playing buzzer beater now as I have a little more than half an hour before the clock hits midnight.
I suppose I had everything that I wanted to say for Palm Sunday, down and ready for tomorrow, based on yesterday’s post. The main point I wanted to emphasize is that because this world is headed to oblivion sooner or later, we all need help. It’s a state I believe we are all in, no matter where we are in the spectrum of success according to that this world defines as ‘success’. No matter how we would resist it, or no matter how we wouldn’t realize it at first, this would lead us to at least considering Christ.
Christ is the ultimate representation of God’s unconditional love for us – yes, even us, who don’t deserve it: The nation of Israel couldn’t reach, much less maintain good standing with God; We as Gentiles weren’t even looking for Him, yet we were also burdened with the same Law in our conscience; all the same, we were just as miserable. We couldn’t reach perfection. We couldn’t come anywhere near heaven, so as the song goes, Jesus brought heaven down. The Son of God stepped out of His throne of glory to be born into this reality as one of us, living, laughing, eating, sleeping as one of us. He was tempted in all ways, yet without sin.
By way of Christ’s miracles and His words, He revealed the everlasting love of God as a Father willing to help us… and this, I believe, was what caused the multitudes to lay down their coats and palm fronds before Him, riding on a colt, approaching the gates of Jerusalem. They cried to this Man, “Hosanna!”, the cry meaning, save! Hosanna, recognizing Christ as a Savior.
In unison they cried, Hosanna! And in unison, they cried, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’, from a Psalm written generations, decades, even centuries ago – all this time, they had been waiting for someone who would save them… this Man riding on a lowly colt, surely He will save!
And, friends, no doubt we have been faced with the troubles of this world, hitting each and every one of us in so many ways and forms – and Christ has been faithful. By the power of His Holy Spirit, and through the workings of the body of Christ, we have heard the Gospel of Christ and His finished work, and as a result, the faith of Christ has been written in our hearts and minds, the Holy Spirit poured out upon each and every one of us (at this point I am aware that I need to throw in the Bible verse references for all the claims I’m putting together, but for time’s sake I will probably follow up with my references some other time. I apologize for now).
And those of us who have Christ – the infinite, everlasting, eternal Christ – alive in us as we are alive in Him, we could not help but overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit – in love, peace, patience, joy, faithfulness, kindness, goodness, and self-control, we help the world in celebration of how Christ has helped us… and this hurting world would naturally come to us, knowing that we are His disciples.
In so many words, this is how I believe that the grace of God is attractive.
Besides that one coaching point of my Bible references, I’m pretty sure I could keep refining this, until I actually share it tomorrow.
!!!One thing I unearthed while I was looking for those actual references was John 12:32, when Christ said, “When I am lifted from the Earth, (I) will draw everyone to myself”; In the gates of Jerusalem, the multitudes, the Israelites were attracted to Christ… a foreshadowing of Christ’s triumphant entry through the torn veil, which draws EVERYONE – not only Israel – to Him.
Also, after the service I will be doing two things – testing equipment repurposed for the ministry, and also, recording worship and a message to be broadcasted this coming Good Friday. Time flies really fast, yes, it’s Holy Week, starting tomorrow – in a few minutes, technically.
I thought I’d approach the Good Friday message the same way I approached Palm Sunday – by looking at the moments leading to the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ across all 4 Gospels… but I fear that’s a pretty broad expanse of text to review. It’s doable. I’m pretty sure I could go through it before tomorrow afternoon – but it’ll have to come after I finalize and practice my Palm Sunday message in the morning.
I have to thank God for my team, because they were able to decide on a couple of songs to sing for the said recording, even being able to extract the proper chords and progressions as I discussed it to them, last minute, just hours ago. Now, on my part, I could actually jump off of the lyrics of the songs they would be singing (in case you were wondering, it’ll be Scandal of Grace and Calvary by Hillsong), and construct my message from there.
I keep quoting Romans 5:10 – by His death we have been reconciled. How was that possible?
Well, the lyrics of Calvary would lead us to a perspective of what that reconciliation looks like:
Calvary covers it all
My sin and shame don’t count anymore
All praise to the One who has ransomed my soul
Calvary covers it all
Christ lay down His life as a propitiation for our sin… and another way of seeing that is as a ransom for our very souls. There’s that other song, ‘Lord I lift Your Name on High’, that elaborates on that process resulting our ransom, our propitiation, in the very chorus.
He came from Heaven to Earth, to show the Way: Understanding that we were lost, He stepped out of infinite glory, speaking to one and all to repent.
From the Earth to the Cross, my debt He paid: He lay His life down, and His body was raised on a cross, as a ransom, as a propitiation; He who knew no sin became sin, that we would become His righteousness.
The rest of the chorus sort of ‘spoils’ what we’re celebrating and remembering this Holy Week… so I guess I’ll just park it here for now.
Sorry, I think I need to rest. More on this tomorrow.
JB's Personal Brain Defragmenter 
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