May 8, 2005
Scripture:
This morning our thoughts have been turned to the fact that we were only worth hell. But the Father looked down in love and gave His Son. “O what a gift the Father gave!” The Son then gave His life; what a wonderful gift! When Jesus went back to Heaven, God sent us the gift of the Holy Spirit. When we all get to heaven, we will be given the gift of glorified bodies. These are all gifts that we receive. There is another gift we should look at; it’s found in John 17:24, Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. Here’s another gift. When we get to Heaven, there will be a wedding and the Father will present to His Son a Bride. The bride will be so much like Himself, so glorified, that He will think of all His sorrows here on earth and say, “It was worth it all.” Let us not always think of the gifts we get. Jesus is like the merchant who gave all that he had to buy the pearl. When He receives His bride, we will enter into a love relationship with the Lord, such as has never been known. Well might we think about this gift. We read in the story of the prodigal son, “They began to be merry”; we don’t read of an end. Well might we enjoy the gift of Lord as part of our everlasting praise!
EG Hymn 333 – “Come to the Saviour, make no delay,” Prayer Proverbs 30:24-28 Nature’s Gospel Message
Hebrews 3:1-6 • Last week we looked at Moses, being faithful. This is a quote from Numbers. There are many parts of this chapter that are quoting or referring to Numbers. • The Lord is due more glory than Moses, because He built the house; Moses only dwells in it. • Now we are God’s house; He wanted to dwell among us. I Peter calls us “living stones”, giving reference to the temple. The stones for the temple were cut out of a deep, dark quarry, and hauled up out of darkness into the light. Then they were chipped into a useful shape. Finally, they made part of the temple, God’s habitation. When we are saved, we are taken from darkness to light, and made useful as part of God’s present dwelling. But the temple was made of more than just stone; there were the cedars of Lebanon that Solomon bought from Hiram, king of Tyre. Those lofty cedars, signifying the pride of the natural man, were hewn down, all the branches cut off. Then they were put into the sea and sailed to the building site, signifying how we go through the waters of death with the Lord, and rise again on the other side. Then those logs were used as part of God’s habitation. • V. 6, “If” – It might appear that we have to do our part if we are to be saved and become part of God’s house. We know it doesn’t mean that. It is saying that the enjoyment and rewards of salvation are dependant on us. When the Israelites were in the wilderness, signifying the Christian in the world, they had the chance to enter Canaan, a picture of the enjoyment of salvation. The ten spies came back and said, “It’s good but…” They didn’t believe; they didn’t have faith. Instead they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years. But Caleb and Joshua shine out as men of faith. We must believe and have faith to enter into the enjoyment of our salvation. [received, EG Hymn 112 – “Naught have I gotten, but what I Prayer