ELEMENTARY TO OUR CHRISTIAN FAITH: VICTORY IN JESUS!
“Elementary, Mr. Watson!” Most of us go back far enough to remember to whom that phrase was ascribed – Of course, Sherlock Holmes the inspector whose keen insight into otherwise mysterious situations solved many crimes on behalf of Scotland Yard. Others failed, but Holmes’ perseverance was rewarded with positive outcomes.
Thomas Edison, after thousands of experiments, finally invented the light bulb . . . but he would never admit that, up to the point of success, he had failed. “I just found 10,000 ways that would not work.”
The Apostle Paul was neither an inspector nor a scientist but never gave up his mission to convince hard-headed and stone-hearted objectors to the gospel of a truth that is Elementary to Our Christian Faith: Victory in Jesus! The essence of it:
In the spiritual warfare that is raging for truth . . . for right versus wrong . . . for good versus evil, the LORD God has purposed a plan for the good of His people and has promised that, in Christ, Victory is guaranteed.
In the first eight chapters of Romans Paul explains that all humanity stands guilty before God . . . but salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ apart from works of the law. What this means is:
In and through all of life’s experiences, good or bad, God is at work to bring about victory over evil . . . Therefore, true believers trust God to bring about good to those who love God . . . know that nothing ( . . . in life or in death) can separate us from the love of God – Romans 8:28-39 . . .
Let me suggest three elements of God’s good plan and promise of victory:
There is the supernatural element. God has been, is now, and forevermore shall be at work for the good of ALL who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Foreknowing who would respond in the affirmative to His call (invitation), God in His omniscience and infinite wisdom predetermined that a positive responder would be rewarded with the the gift of eternal life to be offered as a result of the saving work of Jesus Christ.
There is the sacrificial element. God did not spare His own Son in order to save us – a sacrifice voluntarily offered on behalf of ALL who repent of their sins and, by faith in Christ as Savior and Lord, receive God’s gift of eternal life,
There is the sensational element. We know that Christ our Lord was raised from the dead, conquered sin and the grave, ascended back to the Father, is now at the right hand of God, intercedes on behalf of ALL who know Him – all of which adds up to a sensational victory for ALL saints of God.How wonderful it is to know that nothing – absolutely nothing – has the power to separate us from the love of God! Sensational!
Vance Havner once made the remark, “I’d rather know a few things for certain than to be sure of a lot of things that ain’t so.”
Folks: Some of us might not have as much knowledge as others but, when it comes to our relationship to God through Christ, ignorance of God’s purpose and plan for our lives is not one of our failures.
If you know the Lord, you know that the Spirit of God works for our good . . . conforms us to be like God’s Son . . . glorifies us in Christ!
Elementary, my Christian Friend: GOD IS FOR US . . . He gave up His Son for us. His greatest gift to ALL mankind was the gift of eternal life made possible by the perfect sacrifice of Jesus who never sinned but was allowed to trade places with us. He took our place on the cross and elevated us to His place: righteousness in the sight of God . . .
He graciously meets our needs. Remember what Jesus told us: “Do not worry about your life . . . Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow, nor reap, nor store in barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
“I am only a little sparrow, a bird of low degree; my life is of little value, but the dear Lord cares for me. He gave me a coat of feathers, ‘tis very plain I know; with never a speck of crimson, for it was not made for show. But, it keeps me warm in winter; it shields me from the rain; were it bordered with gold and purple, perhaps it would make me vain. I have no barn or storehouse; I never sow or reap; God gives me a sparrow’s portion, but never a seed to keep.
“If my meat is sometimes scanty, close picking makes it sweet; I have always enough to keep me, and ‘life is more than meat’. I know there are many sparrows; all over the world they are found; but our heavenly Father knoweth when one falls to the ground. Though small, we are never forgotten, though weak, we are never afraid, for we know that the dear Lord keepeth the lives of the creatures He made. I fly through the thickest forest, I light on many a spray, I have no chart or compass, but I never lose my way.”
He grants victory over our foes. We face so many obstacles in life . . . but, by the grace of God, we shall overcome! None of us can do what we once did . . . But we have, and we shall, overcome - because “God is our refuge, a very present help in time of trouble.”
“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we focus not on what is seen, but on the unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Folks: We are “more than conquerers” for, you see, at Calvary - and then on Resurrection Sunday - the supernatural, the sacrificial, the sensational converged, and Christ emerged victorious! So shall we! We have His promise of Victory in Jesus! Amen.
As a Memorial to the sacrificial element of Christ’s victory – the element that fulfilled God’s requirement that a perfect sacrifice must be offered for the remission of sins – our Lord instituted the sacrament of Communion which we observe this morning in remembrance of our Lord’s atoning sacrifice at the Cross on behalf of repentant sinners, including you and me.
As oft as we partake of the bread symbolizing our Lord’s body sacrificed in our stead, and the cup representing His blood shed on our behalf, we do proclaim (bear witness to) our Lord’s atoning sacrifice on our behalf.
In preparation for partaking of the bread and the cup, let us offer a prayer of praise, thanksgiving and petition to God our Father: Please repeat after me . . .
“Father, Hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come.
Thank you for your great love.Thank you for sending your Son.
Thank you for His atoning sacrifice. Thank you for your gift of eternal life.
Forgive us our sins. Help us to be more like Jesus.
Help us live a life worthy of His sacrifice.
Bless us as we partake of these elements In remembrance of Him.”
AMEN!
