God’s Love and Mercy and Grace Visibly Expressed When He Gave Himself For Us - Part 1570

Then said He, "Lo, I come to do Thy will, O God. He takes away the first, that He may establish the second ..." (Hebrews 10:9)
He takes away the first covenant, also recognized as the old testament, so that He could establish a second, brand new covenant. By His will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus the Christ once and for all. 

At the beginning of the Holy Ghost ministries in Jesus, we find Jesus reading from the prophetical book of Esaias [Isaiah]. There He read a passage that states, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, for He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captive, and recover the sight of the blind, To set at liberty them that are bruised, and to preach the acceptable year of the Lord."  (Luke 4:19) And He closed the book. 

The acceptable will of the Lord. The day of God’s visitation, He takes away the first, while firmly establishing the second. Recall when Jesus had completed all that was required to secure our redemption? He sat down. Here we find Jesus standing, and in so doing, a new dispensation of grace, of unmerited favour commences. The new testament whereby the Lord God, after His kindness and love willingly became our Saviour. (Titus 3:4-7)

It is no wonder that those who heard and bore witness asked, "Is not this Joseph's son?"  But I digress.

Later, in Acts 7:56, Stephen (one of the seven full of the Holy Ghost, and chosen to serve) presents the good news of salvation to a group of religious people, laying out these same historical events, explaining to one and all the counsel of God, and His loving grace for you and I.

And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people. (Acts 6:1-8)

But certain of the synagogue were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which Stephen spake. Needless to say they were not happy. Rather than turn in their hearts, they suborned men, which said, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses, and against God. These stirred up the people, elders and scribes, setting up false witnesses that would say he spoke blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law. Nevertheless, as the council looked steadfastly on him, Stephen's face was such as if it were the face of an angel. (Acts 6:15)

What did Stephen say? He told them the God of glory had appeared to Abraham ... and that his seed should sojourn to a strange land; and that they should bring them into bondage and entreat them evil four hundred years, and the nation to whom they shall be in bondage will I judge, said God, and after that shall they come forth, and serve Me in this place." (Acts 7:1-29)

Stephen goes on to say that when Moses saw the burning bush, he wondered at the sight, and as he drew near to behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying, "I am the God of thy Fathers, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob ... A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto Me; Him shall ye hear." (Acts 7:30-37)

The same He that was in the church in the wilderness who our fathers would not obey -- who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept. (Acts 7:38-53)

When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart and gnashed on Stephen with their teeth. But Stephen, being full of the Holy Ghost looked up steadfastly into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. Yes, Jesus was standing. [Jesus stood up while Stephen was being stoned to death. This sojourning is further expanded upon in Acts chapters 8 and 9]

The significance of standing is that this was to be the "final" call to a religious Jewish nation. They were at that moment to be cut off because of their stubborn unbelief, their hearts that would rather worship idols and rejoice in the work of their own hands, the stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, those who always resist the Holy Ghost -- "as your fathers did, so do ye." (Acts 7:51)

We know that later, Saul who was an overseer and party to all these happenings, was to be met by the Lord Jesus when he journeyed to Damascus.  While enroute, the Lord revealed that Saul [renamed Paul] was a chosen vessel to Him.  As a result, Paul would now be His Apostle to the Gentiles. 

The good news being that this meeting led to the complete altering of the old covenant -- the veil being torn from top to bottom, heaven to earth. Indeed, the Lord's way is not our way, He looks not on the outward appearance of men. He looks into one's heart. And herein, God swung open the door of obtainable salvation to the Gentiles. The Lord redeemed to Himself a believing people, who would be His own people. His chosen people that were not His people but are now His people.

A people that He is going to call by His name. A people who will be His bride. The Jesus People.

[As an aside, recall that in the Garden, God said it was not good that man should dwell alone. God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam. God operated on Adam, removing one of his ribs. From that removed rib, God made a woman from Adam’s rib bone. A woman to be loved by him, even as he would take care of his own flesh. Why? Because the woman was the bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh.] 

Now consider Calvary, when Jesus hung on that Roman cross. It is recorded in John 19:33, that one of the soldiers with a spear pierced the side of Jesus. When he did, the scriptures record, forthwith, there came out blood and water.

You see, without the shedding of His blood, there shall be no remission of sin. But because Jesus paid the ultimate price on the cross, we are washed with the water of the Word of God. We are clean through the Word that He has spoken to us. As He said, he that is internally clean needs nothing more than to wash His feet. No more (as Peter learned) would any man (His believing bride) be called common or unclean. Why? 

Because we are the bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh. A new covenant was established and brought us into the reality of being purchased by God Himself. And when we fully understand the cost in drops of His precious blood on that cross, the tears He willingly shed for us, there is nothing that shall separate us from the love of God!

God’s love and mercy and grace being visibly expressed when He gave Himself for us. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son -- HEAR YE HIM! (John 3:16)

Stand in the offering plate.