HE IS RISEN JUST AS HE SAID!
John 20:11-18 But Mary stood outside facing the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 She saw two angels in white sitting there, one at the head and one at the feet, where Jesus’ body had been lying. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put Him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus st
anding there, though she did not know it was Jesus. 15 “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Supposing He was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve removed Him, tell me where you’ve put Him, and I will take Him away.” 16 Jesus said, “Mary.” Turning around, she said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” —which means “Teacher.” 17 “Don’t cling to Me,” Jesus told her, “for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brothers and tell them that I am ascending to My Father and your Father—to My God and your God.” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what He had said to her.
John 20:30-31 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples that are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and by believing you may have life in His name.
The Old Covenant is passed away, Jesus came to make a new covenant in HIS OWN blood. HE defeated sin, death and Satan at the Cross. The lower human court ruled...crucify HIM! The highest court overruled...HE IS RISEN! I love the way Jesus says this...tell them that I am ascending to My Father and your Father—to My God and your God.” No longer is HE a distant God that only the High Priest may enter HIS presence once each year. NOW HE is a God, HE is our Father, and through the shed blood of Jesus we, HIS children, may enter HIS presence at any moment. What was the price for this redemption? What was the price for this access? The blood of HIS only Begotten1
Jeremiah 31:31 “Behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah,
Luke 22:20 And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.
1 Corinthians 11:25 In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Keep this in mind as we move to our reading in Numbers today. God's Word contains a threat that ought to strike fear, awe-striking fear in the heart of every true child of God. As we look at this threat remember what Revelation 1:5-6 tells us about the power of Jesus sacrificial act, HIS shed blood..."and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and has set us free from our sins by His blood, 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
We see the love of Jesus and that HE has set us free from our sins by HIS precious blood. I believe that just as the Israelites were called to drive out the inhabitants of the land, I believe that you and I are called to turn from and reject all known idols in our lives. We are to walk and live in a manner pleasing to the Lord. Here is the threat...if you don't I will do to you what I had planned to do to them! If you are a true child of God you will not lose your salvation, that is not possible, but there are ALWAYS CONSEQUENCES FOR OUR SIN...YOU ARE FORGIVEN, NO DOUBT, BUT THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES.
Numbers 33:55-56 But if you don’t drive out the inhabitants of the land before you, those you allow to remain will become thorns in your eyes and in your sides; they will harass you in the land where you will live. 56 And what I had planned to do to them, I will do to you.”
Galatians 5:16-26
The Spirit versus the Flesh
16 I say then, walk by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar, about which I tell you in advance—as I told you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, we must also follow the Spirit. 26 We must not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
We, the blood bought children of God MUST BE DILIGENT TO crucify the flesh with its passions and desires. We must cry out and ask to be filled with the Spirit moment by moment, day by day. I am not able to live the Spirit filled life by willpower! I am only able to live the Spirit filled life as I am surrendered to and filled by the Spirit of the living God...ask and you will receive.
Let's be like those in Luke 5:26, God's Word tells us that they were "astounded, and they were giving glory to God. And they were filled with awe and said, “We have seen incredible things today!”
Father in heaven,
We have seen incredible things in YOUR precious Word today, we have seen YOU and YOUR glory. I pray that YOU would fill us with YOUR Holy Spirit, fill us, fill me that I might walk in a manner that is pleasing to YOU, that I might walk by faith overflowing with the fruit of YOUR Holy Spirit. I am desperate for YOU, I am absolutely dependent on YOU and YOU alone...work this for YOUR glory and the JOY of YOUR children.