4 Days of Christmas - Peace - Bijou Planks 357/365
Sunday morning at the Paprihaven First Christian Church,* Tracy sits between her two best friends and listens carefully to the message from Pastor Mulholland.
"...and the work that Christ Jesus accomplished was a work to bring peace to those who will repent and believe in Him.
Look again at Isaiah 9: 'For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.**' What good is the metal studded boot, designed for war, when the war is over? What good is the blood soaked cloak when the conflict is finished? Nothing. Only fuel for the fire.
Do you see what type of peace God is offering you in salvation? This is not a peace that is dependent on your circumstances. You'll continue to have good and bad circumstances in your life. No, this is a far more profound peace.
This is that unique peace that occurs after a war has ended. There are those in this congregation this morning that have been in war. If you talk with people from countries upon whose soil the war was waged, they will tell you. That terrible state of existence where each day could be your last. Where no laws will stop the next missile from finding you or your loved ones. Where the upheaval had destroyed all safeguards of law, the economy, and the social structure. Each day is a nightmare that you wake up to, not from.
And then, that blessed day when the war is over and the enemy has been completely, irrevocably vanquished. Knowing that you need never fear your destruction again.
Do you see? Our war was with God. We are the enemy who raised our fists in rebellion of sin against Him. He is the righteous ruler against whom we have transgressed. He is the just judge who must bring the due punishment for our sin.
To live in this lost state is, every day, seeing your destruction draw closer. We are all appointed to die and stand before Him in judgment.*** That judgment is sure and it frightens us.
Our lives are frustrating because we're trying to find joy, peace, and love in the things of this life and this world, but they don't last.
Then God calls you. It's simple. You know you've sinned against Him. He calls you to surrender. Lay down your arms. Fall before Him and plead mercy. He is rich in mercy. He will save you and then...
...then the peace. The war is over. Salvation in Christ Jesus results in all of your sins, past, present, and future, forgiven. You now have zero condemnation before God.****
Because, 'Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called:
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.'
For everyone here who has received that peace through that amazing salvation, give thanks to Him. If you have not, or you are not sure, simply seek Him. Seek God to save you through the work of Christ Jesus. God promises in Deuteronomy and Jeremiah that if you seek Him you will find Him, if you seek for Him with all your heart.
May God have mercy on us in the hearing of His life giving Word. Let's pray together."
═════════════════════════════════════
A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
We celebrate seven days of Christmas 2024! Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. God come to save His people. Without Christmas, without the Incarnation of the virgin birth, the work of Christ would not have begun and we would have no hope.
Born in lowly, despised conditions, lived a life of poverty and struggle, brutally executed on a cross. This is not how we would have written the story of our Redeemer, but that's because we always fatally miss the reality of the vast difference between our sin and God's holiness. We think we're 'not that bad' and thus we fail to recognize the distance that must be bridged and thus the harsh magnificence of the required exchange.
Jesus was born to die that we may live. If you have not, seek God and beg His mercy today.
"But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’" Luke 18:13
* Find it on the Map of Paprihaven!
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/20400598379/
** Isaiah 9:5
*** Hebrews 9:27
**** Romans 8:1
Previous Days of Christmas in Paprihaven!
2015:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/23948665385/
2016:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/31758314131/
2017:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/25422525608/
2018:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/46417954911/
2019:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/49256347028/
2020:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/50746497683/
2021:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/51767062359/
2022:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/52579807754/
2023:
4 Days of Christmas - Peace - Bijou Planks 357/365
Sunday morning at the Paprihaven First Christian Church,* Tracy sits between her two best friends and listens carefully to the message from Pastor Mulholland.
"...and the work that Christ Jesus accomplished was a work to bring peace to those who will repent and believe in Him.
Look again at Isaiah 9: 'For every boot of the booted warrior in the battle tumult, And cloak rolled in blood, will be for burning, fuel for the fire.**' What good is the metal studded boot, designed for war, when the war is over? What good is the blood soaked cloak when the conflict is finished? Nothing. Only fuel for the fire.
Do you see what type of peace God is offering you in salvation? This is not a peace that is dependent on your circumstances. You'll continue to have good and bad circumstances in your life. No, this is a far more profound peace.
This is that unique peace that occurs after a war has ended. There are those in this congregation this morning that have been in war. If you talk with people from countries upon whose soil the war was waged, they will tell you. That terrible state of existence where each day could be your last. Where no laws will stop the next missile from finding you or your loved ones. Where the upheaval had destroyed all safeguards of law, the economy, and the social structure. Each day is a nightmare that you wake up to, not from.
And then, that blessed day when the war is over and the enemy has been completely, irrevocably vanquished. Knowing that you need never fear your destruction again.
Do you see? Our war was with God. We are the enemy who raised our fists in rebellion of sin against Him. He is the righteous ruler against whom we have transgressed. He is the just judge who must bring the due punishment for our sin.
To live in this lost state is, every day, seeing your destruction draw closer. We are all appointed to die and stand before Him in judgment.*** That judgment is sure and it frightens us.
Our lives are frustrating because we're trying to find joy, peace, and love in the things of this life and this world, but they don't last.
Then God calls you. It's simple. You know you've sinned against Him. He calls you to surrender. Lay down your arms. Fall before Him and plead mercy. He is rich in mercy. He will save you and then...
...then the peace. The war is over. Salvation in Christ Jesus results in all of your sins, past, present, and future, forgiven. You now have zero condemnation before God.****
Because, 'Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called:
Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace.'
For everyone here who has received that peace through that amazing salvation, give thanks to Him. If you have not, or you are not sure, simply seek Him. Seek God to save you through the work of Christ Jesus. God promises in Deuteronomy and Jeremiah that if you seek Him you will find Him, if you seek for Him with all your heart.
May God have mercy on us in the hearing of His life giving Word. Let's pray together."
═════════════════════════════════════
A year of the shows and performers of the Bijou Planks Theater.
We celebrate seven days of Christmas 2024! Jesus is Emmanuel, God with us. God come to save His people. Without Christmas, without the Incarnation of the virgin birth, the work of Christ would not have begun and we would have no hope.
Born in lowly, despised conditions, lived a life of poverty and struggle, brutally executed on a cross. This is not how we would have written the story of our Redeemer, but that's because we always fatally miss the reality of the vast difference between our sin and God's holiness. We think we're 'not that bad' and thus we fail to recognize the distance that must be bridged and thus the harsh magnificence of the required exchange.
Jesus was born to die that we may live. If you have not, seek God and beg His mercy today.
"But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’" Luke 18:13
* Find it on the Map of Paprihaven!
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/20400598379/
** Isaiah 9:5
*** Hebrews 9:27
**** Romans 8:1
Previous Days of Christmas in Paprihaven!
2015:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/23948665385/
2016:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/31758314131/
2017:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/25422525608/
2018:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/46417954911/
2019:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/49256347028/
2020:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/50746497683/
2021:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/51767062359/
2022:
www.flickr.com/photos/paprihaven/52579807754/
2023: