The Dark Day of Redemption

“And they shall scourge him, and put him to death. And the third day he shall rise again” (Luke 18:33).

Three pronouns, one scourging, one death, and One to rise again. Who is this person? Who is Dr. Luke describing? Or better yet, Who is this who is describing himself?

It is none other than the Son of man. He came to save and to seek those who are lost. What does it mean to be lost? It means to understand that God loved you, satisfied His own righteousness by judging His own Son to death upon a rugged tree for you and for me. He went to the desk of Calvary and paid the bill for you with His own blood, the payment of sin which leads to death.

To be found means to know that God’s love (His Son) was given to die as you. His mercy will forgive you if you recognize that you are THE Sinner and ask Him. It is His mercy you and I need today. Are you willing to understand that Jesus was scourged in your place, put to death in your place, and rising again proving He died for all your sin and mine.

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    “And he said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day” (Luke 24:26).

    The hearts of the two disciples have been overwhelmed with sadness, but now their minds have been opened by the Scriptures…and now they are ready for their eyes to be opened to the Savior.

    Only the Spirit of God can open the eyes and hearts to the Christ of God. He alone is the One who illuminates the Scriptures to our hearts. He is the Teacher who stands alongside to give us what we need for the hour.

    Frankly we don’t believe God’s Word because we do not depend upon the Spirit of God to open parts of the Word of God to us. There has to be a cross before there is a crown. There has to be a cross before there is a kingdom. Jesus wore the crown of thorns before He wore the golden diadem. And He will explain Himself to us if we will open the golden book of Scripture.

    The cross was a doorway into eternal glory for the Son of God and for all who will believe in Him! Oh my friend allow the Resurrected Word to explain the written Word. The Fulfiller of Scripture will explain the prophecies of Scripture. Oh He is the great I Am; the Passover Lamb Whose blood protects His people from the angel of death and the wrath of God.

    Father please open our eyes that we may believe. Help us to open the Book before the world opens our eyes. You are the Living One and we are dependent upon You. Thank you for Your written Word that is explained by You. We are thankful to be instructed in righteousness. In your name! Amen.

  • Mary Ida Sutton Stephens

     

    Mary Ida Stephens will be spoken of today in our church where she attended faithfully and participated beautifully. As her pastor, there is an emptiness that has affected me since her sickness and Home-Going. It was the last few weeks of her life that really concerned me, that drew my heart to the God of heaven for her and the family she loved. Early on Sunday morning she passed into glory; that still leaves a void in the heart.

     

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    At this time we are reminded of God’s gift He gave to us here at Kinnett. Lots of good things happened when Ron and Mary Ida made their way to Morehead Street in Burlington. They were such a blessing!

     

    We love her family. They have been supportive of Ida and have been very kind to her. We have seen the grace of our great and wonderful God to her children and her family. It is hard to replace a lady like unto her. But who wants to replace her?  She was unique, loving, talented, and gracious.

     

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  • A Purposeful Life

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    “Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket” (Acts 9:25).

    The greatest day of Paul’s life, beside his salvation, was the day he realized that God’s plan for him was far better than his plan for his own life.

    The chance of being let down by someone or something is 1 in 1.

    Paul wanted to preach to his own people, the Jews, and went to them but they rejected him because of his new found message of grace in Christ Jesus. He had to be let down in a basket through a window over a wall to escape the bounty which was upon his head.

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    ‘To the Gentiles, Paul.’

    ‘But, Lord–‘
    ‘To the Gentiles, Paul.’

    ‘But–‘
    ‘To the Gentiles, Paul.’

    ‘OK, Lord.’

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  • Sunday School and Prayer Meeting

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    L.R. Scarborough said that if we could only have a five-minute glimpse into hell our evangelism would be changed for a lifetime. Just the other day I was trying to imagine what a look into hell would be like. I’m sure the “terror of the Lord” would take on a dreadful new meaning if I could see hell.

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  • Your Own Meditation of the Bible

    “The Israelite’s did as they were told; some gathered much, some little” (Exodus 16:17).

    What would happen if you and I would read more of the Bible on a daily basis? I believe it would change the way we think, talk, and walk. We get into so many ruts in life that sometimes we need to get into the “rut of reading more” and allowing the Spirit of God to shape us into His people.

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