From: jesus_is_lord To: List Member Subject: Consider Him Date: Thursday, April 12, 2001 6:03 AM jesus_is_lord --------------------------- ListBot Sponsor -------------------------- Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/links/joinlb ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For CONSIDER HIM that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Hebrews 12:3 ******************************** Dear CHRISTIAN Friends: Greetings in the name of the ONLY wise God and Saviour Jesus Christ. We are entering into the time of year that men traditionally remember the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus didn't tell us to set aside a special holy day to observe His resurrection--nevertheless, I am still happy about this time of year because Christ is preached (Philippians 1:18). The focus of this short meditation is not on the word "Easter" or its pagan origins. It is not about the "Easter rabbit" and "Easter eggs" being pagan symbols of fertility. This email is about Jesus. **************REMEMBER**************** Jesus did give us an ordinance to remember His suffering and His death. We call it "communion" (I Cor 10:16) or "the Lord's supper" (I Cor 10:21)-- I Corinthians 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, TAKE, EAT: THIS IS MY BODY, WHICH IS BROKEN FOR YOU: THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME. 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, THIS CUP IS THE NEW TESTAMENT IN MY BLOOD: THIS DO YE, AS OFT AS YE DRINK IT, IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME. 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, NOT DISCERNING THE LORD'S BODY. 11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. ***WE MUST DISCERN THE LORD'S BODY When taking communion, it is my custom to repent of all my sins and to consider the Lord's table. The last time I prepared to take communion, I rehearsed the earthly life of the Lord Jesus. To the casual observer, perhaps I looked like Hannah who prayed with her lips moving. This rehearsal moved me. I tried to relate all the major events of the days of His flesh. ***OVERVIEW OF MY COMMUNION SERVICE MEDITATION Hebrews tells us what Jesus said when He came into the world. It is awesome when you think it through. I think of Him on His way into Mary's womb to be robbed with flesh-- Hebrews 10:5 Wherefore WHEN HE COMETH INTO THE WORLD, HE SAITH, SACRIFICE AND OFFERING THOU WOULDEST NOT, BUT A BODY HAST THOU PREPARED ME: 10:6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had NO pleasure. 10:7 Then said I, LO, I COME (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) TO DO THY WILL, O GOD. THE LORD JESUS CHRIST CAME INTO THE WORLD WITH THE EXPRESS DECLARATION THAT HE CAME TO DO THE WILL OF GOD. He was straightened in that declaration. Jesus was born of a virgin, went to Jeruselem at twelve years old and astonished doctors, was baptized by John (a righteous man), when he began to be about 30 years of age, he began to preach telling men to, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand". He performed miracles which bore witness of Him. When His hour was come, he went to the garden of Gethsemane-- Matthew 26:37 And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. 26:39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, **if it be possible, let this cup pass from me**: NEVERTHELESS NOT AS I WILL, BUT AS THOU WILT. 26:42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, IF THIS CUP MAY NOT PASS AWAY FROM ME, EXCEPT I DRINK IT, THY WILL BE DONE. Luke 22:42 Saying, Father, **if thou be willing, remove this cup from me**: NEVERTHELESS NOT MY WILL, BUT THINE, BE DONE. That cup was a cup of suffering and sorrow. He came into the world for this very hour yet His soul was EXCEEDING sorrowful even unto death--and no man watched with Him. He saw the forthcoming torture, blasphemy, sin, and darkness. These bore down on our blameless Saviour's soul. He was to die for the sins of the WHOLE world. To taste death for EVERY man--including the worst pedophile in history. He died for the rapist, the murderer, the whoremonger, the liars, the thieves, the covetous, the vilest sodomite. He died for every rebellious action. Every act of impatience. Every piece of gossip. Every sin--past, present, and future. But worse yet, He was to be under the wrath of God for our sakes--not His sake. He was already God in heaven BEFORE He came down to this wretched, sin-filled world. Blameless. Forsaken of God and man meanwhile the powers of darkness gnashed upon him. What an incredible agony! To be (1) bruised and forsaken by God, (2) forsaken by disciples and (3) assaulted by the gates of hell all at once. Isaiah 53:10 YET IT PLEASED THE LORD TO BRUISE HIM; HE HATH PUT HIM TO GRIEF: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Luke 22:53 When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but THIS IS YOUR HOUR, AND THE POWER OF DARKNESS. [Aside: the devil thought he was doing something when Jesus was delivered into the hands of sinners--but the opposite was true--Jesus DESTROYED the devil (Heb 2:14) and SPOILED principalities and powers, making a shew of them OPENLY, TRIUMPHING OVER THEM IN IT (Col 2:15).] Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME? It is one thing to cry to God as the wicked persecute you, but to be forsaken of God too? O HORROR of horrors! But, hallelujah, that EXPRESS declaration kicked in, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God." In response to all the terrors and horrors awaiting Him, King Jesus says, "NOT MY WILL BUT THINE BE DONE." We need to make that express declaration so that in the hour of our patience we may say, "Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done." *************I AROSE************ With my meditation in mind, I rose from my seat and went to the front of the church to take communion. I took the bread in my hand and broke it and ATE it. I thought along these lines: I am GLAD that Jesus' body was broken for me. I am GLAD to partake of His sufferings. I then took the cup. I HEARTILY drank that cup. EVERY drop I could get out of it. I thought along these lines: I WILL drink that bitter cup. That cup of sorrow, woe, and pain. I am GLAD that Jesus suffered to save me from my sins. I am GLAD to suffer with Him. I WILL suffer with Him. We don't hear much preaching about suffering-- Philippians 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, NOT ONLY TO BELIEVE ON HIM, BUT ALSO TO SUFFER FOR HIS SAKE; Not many professed Christians are trying to hear THAT one. God makes all kinds of promises to us in His word and not all of them are feathery beds of ease--- 2 Timothy 3:12 Yea, and ALL that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall SUFFER PERSECUTION. Next time we sing, "Standing on the promises of God" we need to make sure we really mean it. Some of the promises include suffering. It is a fact that we WILL suffer if we live for Christ. Knowing this fact, WE HAVE TO LEARN HOW TO BE HAPPY ABOUT IT knowing that our reward in heaven is VERY great. Matthew 5:10 BLESSED ARE THEY WHICH ARE PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS' SAKE: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 5:11 BLESSED ARE YE, WHEN MEN SHALL REVILE YOU, AND PERSECUTE YOU, AND SHALL SAY ALL MANNER OF EVIL AGAINST YOU FALSELY, FOR MY SAKE. 5:12 REJOICE, AND BE EXCEEDING GLAD: FOR GREAT IS YOUR REWARD IN HEAVEN: FOR SO PERSECUTED THEY THE PROPHETS WHICH WERE BEFORE YOU. 1 Peter 3:14 But and IF YE SUFFER FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS' SAKE, HAPPY ARE YE: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; *********THE COMMISSION************* John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: AS MY FATHER HATH SENT ME, EVEN SO SEND I YOU. Even so, send me, Lord Jesus. "Lo, I come to do Thy will O God." I pledge myself unto Thee. I believe in the name of the Lord. I believe in the Bible. I lie prostrate under Thy word, under Thy will, under Thy ways, under Thy thoughts. No matter how tough it gets, I'm going all the way with the Lord. I'll drink that bitter cup of sorrow and suffering. I declare again this day, "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God." *****************CONCLUSION******************** This time of year, I believe we have a tendency to skip over the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as something we already know. 1 Corinthians 8:2 And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. We may think that we know all about the days of Jesus' flesh, but we don't know them as we ought. We do not understand the great eternal realities as we ought. We do not understand the depth of the love of God nor of the sufferings of Christ as we ought. May we take this time to-- Hebrews 12:3 ...consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Knowing a few facts about somebody does not mean that you KNOW them. We must consider Jesus. Every aspect of Him. His deity, His entrance into the world, His Father, His mission, His commands to us, and more. We should endeavour to know and understand great and weighty eternal realities--even asking God to show us things we've never even considered. I told the Lord that I want all the wisdom and knowledge of Him that I can get on this side of eternity. As we swim in these high and holy things, we begin to smell like them. Others are drawn to us so that we can tell them about Jesus. As we talk about Him, we get filled up with joy, with revelation, with power. The Bible says that God inhabits the praises of His people. Our bodies are where heaven meets earth. We are made of the dust of the earth and when we keep the commandments, God Himself makes His abode IN us and MANIFESTS Himself to us. Heaven and earth meet. John 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will MANIFEST myself to him. 14:22 Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, IF A MAN LOVE ME, HE WILL KEEP MY WORDS: AND MY FATHER WILL LOVE HIM, AND WE WILL COME UNTO HIM, AND MAKE OUR ABODE WITH HIM. 14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. God bless and God speed to those who love our Lord Jesus Christ of a truth. Colossians 2:13 AND YOU, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, HATH HE QUICKENED TOGETHER WITH HIM, HAVING FORGIVEN YOU ALL TRESPASSES; 2:14 BLOTTING OUT THE HANDWRITING OF ORDINANCES THAT WAS AGAINST US, WHICH WAS CONTRARY TO US, AND TOOK IT OUT OF THE WAY, NAILING IT TO HIS CROSS; 2:15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Ephesians 2:1 And you hath he quickened, WHO WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS; 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. 2:4 **BUT GOD**, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 2:7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. May all unregenerates who read this come to know Jesus Christ. Repent and believe the report for God is not willing that any should perish. God loved you at the cross. You've got to look to the cross for the love of God. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). The way of the cross leads to God, there is no other door to God. You need the blood of Jesus. for Jesus' sake, sis. tracy -- http://www.jesus-is-lord.com ...I do send thee unto them; and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions: be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. Ezekiel 2:4, 6 ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to jesus_is_lord-unsubscribe@listbot.com