JESUS DIED FOR THE SINS OF THE WORLD

Newsletter 232 February 11, 2011

John 3:16

From the very beginning of time the creator, (John 1:3) knew that giving the right to make his own decisions would mean that mankind would make wrong choices as well as right ones, thus He also made a plan through which he could anticipate an eternity of fellowship with him. This required much love demonstrated through his own suffering and death upon the cross of Calvary, (John 3:16,17). This plan, the Gospel (good news). we are to make known to the whole world. (Matthew 28:18-19, Mark 16:15-16).

This good news is that all is not lost because we have sinned. He loved us enough to die for our sins,. He was buried and lay in the tomb three days. But, He arose from the grave. There is life beyond the grave, wonderful life for His own, and one that will last for ever, in a permanent home. This world’s home is very temporary, and very basic compared to what he s preparing for the faithful.

His own have gone through the same three stages. They have died to sin, (Repented). They have been buried in the waters of baptism, and they have arisen from that grave, changed beings, free of their sins, and having the indwelling gift of the Hold Spirit. Christians are born again, and their destination is not in this world, but to be with God in Heaven,.

Matthew 27:45-56 (King James Version)

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. (Mark 15:33-41, Luke 23:44-49)

This would have been from our noon until 3:00 pm


46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? (Psalm 22:1)

Jesus used Hebrew to address God Eli, and Aramaic for the other two words. It was important that the hearers also heard and understood.

47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.

48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. (Psalm 69:21, Mark 15:36, Luke 23:36, John 19:29)

This drink might have prolonged his life, but would have resulted in his legs being broken as were those of the thieves. None of His bones were to be broken in fulfillment of prophesy.

49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. (John 19:34)

50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. (Mark 15:37, Luke 23:46, John 19:30)im.

He chose when he would die.

51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; (Matthew 27:51-56, Mark 15:38-47, Luke 23:47-48, Exodus 26:31, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45, Hebrews 9:3, Matthew 27:54)

Only God could have torn away this massive curtain which separated the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies in the temple. This symbolized the fact that now saints have direct access to God and Heaven, His residence.

52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, (Acts 7:60)

These saints arose from the dead to join the Lord who had opened the way.

53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. (Matthew 4:5)

Their appearance to the people of the city gives undeniable proof of life after the separation that we call “death.”

54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. (Mark 15:39, Luke 23:47, Matthew 27:36, Matthew 27:51, Matthew 4:3, Matthew 27:43)

Those who witnessed these things, even the pagan Romans, believed,

55 And many women were there beholding afar off, which followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him: (Mark 15:40, Luke 23:49, John 19:25, Mark 15:41, Luke 8:2-3)

56 Among which was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s children. (Matthew 28:1, Mark 15:40, Mark 15:47, Mark 16:9, Luke 8:2, John 19:25, John 20:1, John 20:18, Matthew 20:20)

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RESOLVE TO READ THE BIBLE THROUGH AGAIN IN 2011
FEBRUARY

13th. Sunday – Exodus 9, 10, Matthew 28, Proverbs 4:20-27
14th. Monday – Exodus 11, 12, Mark 1:1-27, Psalm 21:1-7
15th. Tuesday – Exodus 13, 14, Mark 1:28-45, Psalm 21:8-13
16th. Wednesday-- Exodus 15, 16, Mark 2, Psalm 22:1-8
17th. Thursday - Exodus 17, 18, Mark 3, Proverbs 5:1-14
18th. Friday – Exodus 19, 20, Mark 4:1-25, Psalm 22:9-18
19th. Saturday-- Exodus 21, 22, Mark 4:26-41, Psalm 22:19-31

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THIS WEEK'S SCRIPTURE

“He said unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said , Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Matthew 16:15,16

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Duck Tales...

Three women die together in an accident and go to heaven. When they get there, St. Peter says, "We only have one rule here in heaven: don't step on the ducks!"

So they enter heaven, and sure enough, there are ducks all over the place. It is almost impossible not to step on a duck, and although they try their best to avoid them, the first woman accidentally steps on one.

Along comes St. Peter with the ugliest man she ever saw.

St. Peter chains them together and says, "Your punishment for stepping on a duck is to spend eternity chained to this ugly man!" The next day, the second woman steps accidentally on a duck and along comes St. Peter, who doesn't miss a thing. With him is another extremely ugly man. He chains them together with the same admonishment as for the first woman.

The third woman has observed all this and, not wanting to be chained for all eternity to an ugly man, is very, VERY careful where she steps.

She manages to go months without stepping on any ducks, but one day St. Peter comes up to her with the most handsome man she has ever laid eyes on ... very tall, long eyelashes, muscular, and thin. St. Peter chains them together without saying a word.

The happy woman says, "I wonder what I did to deserve being chained to you for all of eternity?"

The guy says, "I don't know about you, but I stepped on a duck!"