January 27, 2013

from the Heidelberg Catechism

Question 52. What comfort is it to you that "Christ shall come again to judge the quick and the dead"?

Answer: That in all my sorrows and persecutions, with uplifted head I look for the very same person, who before offered himself for my sake, to the tribunal(judgment) of God, and has removed all curse from me, to come as judge from heaven: who shall cast all his and my enemies into everlasting condemnation, but shall translate me with all his chosen ones to himself, into heavenly joys and glory.

There are several scriptures that support this Q&A but as I read #52 this scripture came to mind.

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest enters into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world has he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. Heb 9:24-28

Pardon the invitation if you received one - Blogger (my blog site) has made changes that I'm still trying to figure out. Some of you may be connected already and if so great, however, the invite may allow you a different or ?better? access to the blog. I hope it's not to confusing.

May you have a blessed Lord's day.

Angie and I saw the movie Les Miserables today. Yes, it is a good musical and a good historical fiction full of emotional performances by very good actors. But more than any of those things it is a powerful story full of images of redemption. It pulls no punches, in this movie you can see the law and condemnation, sinners and the need for forgiveness and finally grace and redemption. My favorite line is when the Bishop says to Valjean “Remember this my brother.…by the passion and the blood, God has raised you from the darkness…”. . I would highly recommend it and I would see it again if given the opportunity.

I would add that Russell Crowe’s character is the law and his pursuit is relentless, constantly turning up in Valjean’s (Hugh Jackman’s character) life. He is not only relentless but strict and always condemning. I found myself feeling some of the emotions demonstrated in Jackman’s character as he struggled with his own sin and failures.

Here is a trailer link(if it works);   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkHHHUk8RCw

Texts from Sunday Dec 30

Texts from Sunday's sermon preached by Eric Watkins

These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens, And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.  But there went up a mist from the earth, and watered the whole face of the ground. And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.                                      Gen 2:4-7

But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sow is not quickened, except it die: And that which thou sow, thou sow not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain: But God gives it a body as it has pleased him, and to every seed his own body.

 All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differs from another star in glory.

 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.            1 Cor. 15:35-49