Comments January 25, 2014

Once again, I skipped a day. The readings from the Tyndale One Year Bible were completed. The writing yesterday was not. The story of God’s people moves on. Readings from OT and NT are to a degree parallel. Same continuing story, much different time frames and places. In the NT we are much closer to the final act of revelation. God is about to make a most mysterious announcement and will provide a tortuous solution to the plight of His people. They have disobeyed and He will provide a solution that will deliver us all from eternal damnation. The deliverance (forgiveness) is very costly. Here he points out the cost of forgiveness. It is impossible to forgive someone without given up much. When you forgive someone, truly forgive, you sacrifice much. It costs you. You are required to pay for their mistake. If you require them to pay, it is not forgiveness on your part. Just overlooking the the injury they have done to you is not good enough. The event and all its damage must be put behind us. It is not as if it never happened. No, we have to pay dearly for our friends mistake. It cost us, it hurt us. You can excuse them for nothing. But, forgiveness is expensive. Jesus not only died for our sins, He also lay separated from the Father for three days. It was agonizing. This is the good news of the Gospel. The Gospel is the story of our redemption. The entire Bible tells the story of God’s redeeming love. Every step of the way from the fall in Genesis 3 is a revelation about what God is doing to redeem His creation. In Genesis we are learning how God is preparing to bring His chosen people out to Egypt and eventually get them to the Promised Land. In Matthew we learn about the preparation for the ultimate sacrifice of the Lamb of God. Jesus tells how He will build His church on the Rock (Peter). The Church continues to grow around the world today. Not so much in Europe and the US now. But, more in China and South America. It will happen, it is happening. Satan and his army are still at work. Satan will lose. As for me and my house, We will serve the Lord!