IT IS FINISHED - PART 20

Call His name Jesus for He shall save His people from their sin. The son in whom we have redemption through His blood and similarly, the forgiveness of our sins.

Out of Egypt, have I called my son. Indeed, let my son go that he may serve me, saith the scriptures. This same son, in whom we have redemption through His blood and the forgiveness of our sins. For without the shedding of his blood, there is no forgiveness of sins. This is why we call His name Jesus for He shall save His people from their sin. For the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

It is in this context that the veil of the temple was rent in twain, from the top to the bottom. So, let us come boldly to the throne of grace for "it is finished." Indeed, "it is finished" was His cry. Only then did He ascend into heaven and sit down, Why did He sit down? The response is simple. He had, by Himself completed the work of redemption. As a consequence, you are complete in Him. Complete. Complete because there is no salvation in any other name.

As the scriptures state, "Sit thou at my right hand until I make your enemies your footstool." After ascending, Jesus ministered through His holy spirit. Jesus never changed. Only the fashion of ministering altered.  Recall that after His resurrection, Jesus went in and out among them for forty days and nights. During this time, Jesus showed Himself to them in various forms and appeared to them at unsuspected times. By this process, the apostles were introduced to a new avenue of living. With our eyes we cannot see you. Still, we know and feel that you are here.

We can relate to this relationship because we, who love the Lord today have never seen Him. Before ascending, Jesus instructed the apostles to go to Jerusalem and wait there until they be imbued with power from on high. There were other instructions given to them by Jesus after His resurrection. First, they were to go into all the world and preach the good news to everyone. Second, they were to baptise believers into His name, Jesus. Note that these instructions did not state baptism into the descriptive titles - father, son, holy spirit as erroneously presented by the church fathers in AD 300 and admittedly altered by the church fathers(re: Matthew 28:19).

In Luke 24, the scriptures recorded that Jesus told His apostles to preach repentance and the remission of sin in His name. Among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. In Mark's gospel, we read that he who believes and is baptised shall be saved. Jesus had said to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, that "except a man be born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." And again, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God (John 3)

That which is flesh is flesh and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I say to you, “You must be born again.” Jesus, by His atoning death, redeemed us from our fallen exiled state restoring to us fellowship with God, even as Adam fellowships in the garden. Today, we can be confident in the abundance of joy and peace that only gravity keeps us on the ground. But it appears that God would have us go further. We, dragging our feet and yet, not knowing God’s purpose show little sign of pressing forward. After salvation, we are so overjoyed with redemption - what could possibly be more fulfilling? That is why the emphasis seemingly is placed upon us now, that there is something we ought to do or must do to go further. Except a man be born of water and of the spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God.

We are now introduced into the possibility of entering into the kingdom of God, a whole new unbeknownst to us adventure. What is man that you are mindful of him? We will go forward to Jerusalem, for surely where He leads we ought to follow. Stand in the offering plate. Partake of the free gift of redemption, purchased for you with His own blood, the blood of His Holy Spirit. Peace to all who are in Jesus.