March 16, 2012

• Lenten Reflections: Why did Jesus die? ACCESS! | Letter 140 on assurance & fighting for joy

  Ephesians 2:1  And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2  in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3  among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.

  4  But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6  and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7  so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

  8  For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9  not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

  11  Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called “the uncircumcision” by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands— 12  remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. 13  But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

  Ephesians 3:7  Of this gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of God's grace, which was given me by the working of his power. 8  To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9  and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things, 10  so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. 11  This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord, 12  in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.

  I Peter 3:18
  For Christ also suffered once for sins,
  the righteous for the unrighteous,
  that he might bring us to God...

  

  ACCESS!

  To Mount Zion, by faith we have come
  Have you seen Him? Gazed on God's Son?

  In heavenly places we now dwell!
  Have you felt His grace waves swell?

  Have you spied His countenance?
  Through the lattice caught a glimpse?

  O! With fear and trembling, in boldness come!
  Take hold of Life abundant, zealously run!

  Touch Him whose blood washes away all doubt!
  Sing with pure gladness the celestial shout!

  No more a stranger, but welcomed home as a son!
  Hear mercy's pardon: "It is finished! 'Tis done!"

  The spotless Lamb hung willingly on the tree
  Jesus became a curse, He died there for thee

  Bore God's wrath, He was punished in your place
  To save your life from hell's eternal flame

  God the Son died your soul to wholly save
  To resurrect you from death's dark grave

  Made a reproach, suffered outside the gate
  Made atonement in the Most Holy Place

  His soul made an offering for all our sin
  To cleanse the cup without and within

  God in Christ is Just and Justifier
  Yet not only pardons, but draws you near!

  Crucified to carry you up to this holy Mount
  So you might drink joy and peace from His happy fount

  To call and gather all of His sheep
  To make the deaf hear, the lame to leap

  To call out a people to proclaim His praises
  To render true worship, not mere lip service

  Christ became a servant to set the captives free
  O! child of God, waste not this blood-bought liberty

  Pursue Him with panting, with fervency
  O! We seek Him not in vain, Jacob's seed

  God who once led Israel through the sea
  He delights to shine, to make His glory seen!

  To all who hunger, to all them who thirst
  To all the redeemed, those whose bands He's burst

  To all whose yokes have been broken
  Flee to Christ, from Him receive a living token

  Seek Him with an ardent heart of diligence
  Labor to enter into His Sabbath rest

  Through His blood and through His flesh
  Enter into the Holiest with bold confidence

  Draw near to Him in full assurance
  Sup with Christ, enjoy His presence

  God will never forsake, but unto the upright
  In the darkness, suddenly will arise a light!

  He who dwells between the cherubim will shine
  O! His bowels do yearn, He will visit this vine!

  Through thorn and thistle, His love perseveres
  To the poor and contrite, He always draws near

  The Rock will burst, shower down and refresh
  From Christ flows all-surpassing pleasantness

  Savor God's covenant, drink His sovereign love
  Foretastes of glory bestowed from heaven above

  O! Treasure Christ, sell not your inheritance
  Take heed, be not Esau, come to your senses!

  O! What blessèd access our Christ has obtained
  Draw near! Embrace Him! Do not throw Him away!

  II Corinthians 3:12  Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, 13  not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. 14  But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. 15  Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.

  16  But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18  And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

  Hebrews 10:19  Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20  by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21  and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

  Romans 5:1  Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2  Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3  More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4  and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5  and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

  Christian, what are you doing with this blessèd access Christ died to give you?

  ---

  Related:

  • Advent # 5 WHY HAS JESUS COME? So we might draw near to God | Even a Vapor
  • five years ago ~ for your joy (AND an inheritance | Richard Sibbes & the Sealing of the Spirit)
  • Advent #1 WHY HAS JESUS COME? that we might have life & life more abundantly
  • Advent #2 WHY HAS JESUS COME? to give his life as a ransom for many
  • The Gospel: Penal substitution? Really? Yes, really!
  • A little child shall lead us: Christ died for our sins (precious penal substitution)
  • the priest shall make atonement
  • out of the mouth of an atheist ~ the Christmas sermon you may not have heard
  • O, leprous soul, hear Freedom's declaration
  • First Week of Advent: The Most Scandalous Bailout Ever

  • Phebe Bartlet – a child put in our midst ~ "Do you love Me?"
  • "Happy are they who can say..." ~ J.C. Philpot | Letter 139 on assurance & fighting for joy
  • postcards from England: are we excited over a dead fish and a car wreck? (considering the glorious possibilities)
  • update w/ excerpt: Lloyd-Jones' sermons on the role of experience in Christianity
  • The flags unfurled ... Christ's eternal banner | Lloyd-Jones ~ a third type of assurance
  • The Father's Inheritance (Eleven days' journey ~ A lamentation & an exhortation)
  • Naphtali News: God speaking to me about my failures & the one thing needful (a post on the Holy Spirit)
  • As a deer pants ... Is your soul panting for God? (Psalms 42 & 43)
  • Be a sanctuary to me, O Lord (Isaiah 8:14)
  • "And Jacob was left alone" ~ Don't waste your loneliness
  • Where do you go when the world is unlovely? (Psalm 84 & the theology of Biblical counseling)
  • Blessed Thirst in the Valley of Baca ~ Psalm 84

  Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. Copyright ©2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Emphasis mine.

  Work found at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Champaigne_shepherd.jpg / CC BY-SA 3.0 - {{PD-Art|PD-old-100}}

  • 4:08 PM
  • 4 Comments