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Subject: Joy After the Sorrow


Author:
Hillbilly
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Date Posted: 20:51:03 08/01/13 Thu

Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The verse above is sobering indeed in it's implication. Think of what it is saying. Jesus endured all the pain and shame of the cross for the joy He would experience after the cross. Jesus, who enjoyed everything imaginable in Heaven with God the Father said that joy was not enough! Jesus saw something more important than His pre-incarnate glory in heaven and He would not be satisfied until the greater joy was be achieved.

What could bring Him a greater joy? Evidently having His beloved human creation in heaven with Him. Jesus knew the only way to redeem His creation was by His own death as a sacrifice for fallen man. In essence He saw you and He saw me as lost without hope of reconciliation with God without His sacrifice. "For God so loved the world that He gave---". What did He give? He gave Himself as God incarnate in mortal man that He might suffer and die that you and I might live. This gave Him joy at the thought of our being with Him throughout eternity through His offering Himself as a lamb without blemish. John cried: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) Indeed He has taken away the sin for all who believe on His name.

The text says that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Our faith is based solely on the finished work at Calvary or it is a vain hope. This is the beginning of our faith and it is bound up in the death burial and resurrection. Yes we believe in the virgin birth but there are those who will tell you that there are virgins who could easily give birth today through invitro-fertilization so that is no big deal. There are those who put great store in the sinlessness of Jesus but without the cross and subsequent resurrection after 3 days it would have proven nothing. Our faith in the good works of Jesus really says little as far as our faith. Many people put unwavering faith in men today. There are people all over this world that are willing to die for others. If our faith has it's beginning in that then Jesus is not the author of that faith.

When the Bible tells us that Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith He is telling us that our faith begins with and in Him and it will end with and in Him. Without the Holy Spirit bringing conviction of the truth of who Jesus is we would have no true faith in Him. Jesus would not be the author of that faith. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega (Rev. 22:13) He is the beginning and the ending and it is through His resurrection power that our faith will end in sight. "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Heb. 11:1) We will see this wonderful Saviour of ours one day precisely because He counted it all joy to be able to bring us to Him because of the pain and humiliation of the Cross.

Jesus I love you, I want you to know.
I long to be with you where ever I go.
Now I stand before you to do the best that I can do,
and I just want to tell you, Jesus I love you.

Jesus I love you because you first loved me and saw that I would need a Saviour. You looked ahead in time and saw a hell bound sinner in need of your precious sacrifice. You counted me worthy of your death and I count myself as a "worm" (Psalm. 22:6) and unworthy of such a horrible sacrifice by such a great God as You. How you could see that saving me would bring you great joy I cannot comprehend but Jesus I do thank you and love you because you first loved me. You are worthy of my worship and devotion to you and by your help and power I will run this race before me and bring honor to You in some small way. My Lord Jesus I pray that someday I can bring you the joy you died for. In your precious and matchless name.

Amen

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Replies:
[> Subject: Amen, indeed!


Author:
dori
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Date Posted: 11:53:05 08/02/13 Fri



On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suff池ing and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

So I値l cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

So I値l cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For 稚was on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

So I値l cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

To the old rugged cross I will ever be true;
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then He値l call me some day to my home far away,
Where His glory forever I値l share.

So I値l cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.
[> [> Subject: Amen,


Author:
Hillbilly
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Date Posted: 16:43:05 08/02/13 Fri

That wonderful hymn is often sung at our Church.


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