Heritage Reformed Church
Fort Macleod, Alberta
Fort Macleod, Alberta
"Come unto me, all ye that labour, and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest"
Matthew 11:28
Matthew 11:28
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Good news in a bad news world
We live in a world in which we are surrounded with bad news. When we open our
newspapers the columns are filled with reports of disaster and death which are found
globally, nationally, and locally. Bad news is all around us. Why do we live in a world
filled with bad news? The word of God gives us the answer, Adam plunged the human
race into sin in Paradise and estranged man from God the only ultimate Good.
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death
passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”(Rom. 5:12). The affect of sin is
universal, “for all have sinned” and the consequences of sin is a world filled with
disaster and death.
Is there any good news to be found or heard that is of eternal and everlasting
value? Again the Word of God tells us, we read in “John 3:14-16 14 And as Moses
lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.
In verse 14 the gospel of John is referring to the time when the children of Israel were
in the wilderness and were bitten and dying by snakes and the Lord commanded
Moses to make a brazen serpent and promised that whosoever looked on the serpent
would be healed and live.
The Lord Jesus was lifted up on the cross as the remedy for sin bitten sinners just
as Moses lifted up a serpent in the old testament. Sinners who are surrounded in and
living in a world of sin. Sinners who are sin bitten, hurting, dieing, desperate. He died
on the cross to pay the penalty of sin. He died on the cross to reconcile estranged
sinners with an righteous holy God. He died on the cross to pardon guilty sinners. He
died on the cross to cleanse filthy sinners. He died to give life to dead sinners. He
died on the cross for all types of sinners.
Whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Whosoever
means whosoever. Sinners from every tribe, people, tongue and nation. Sinners who
are cold, hard, indifferent, rebellious, sensible, serious, enslaved, addicted.
Whosoever, means whosoever. The sinner who is uneducated or educated, rich or
poor, young or old. Whosoever means whosoever. There are no conditions that we
must meet before being eligible to be saved. We are all sinners and in need of a
savior. Whosoever invites every sinner to come to the savior.
Romans 10:13, promises “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved.” There is power in the name of Jesus when we call upon the name of the Lord
Jesus we are calling upon the omnipotent Savior of whom all power is given in heaven
and in earth. There is a promise to all who call, they shall be delivered and set free,
immediately. Salvation is immediate salvation. When the children of Israel looked at
the serpent in the wilderness they were healed immediately. One look, one prayer by
faith saves. It is faith in Jesus that Saves. Faith is a knowledge of who Jesus is, an
agreement with what the Bible says about him and a personal confidence in Him as
my Savior. All who believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.
Salvation is a complete and eternal salvation. The Savior is a complete Savior
therefore the deliverance he gives is complete as well. Faith unites a sinner to Christ
everything he is and has done becomes the sinners. There is nothing that needs to be
added, no tears, no good works, no bible reading, no set number of prayers, no
formula, no series of steps to go through before salvation. The Lord Jesus declared on
the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30), which means salvation has been accomplished
and its accomplishment continues to be effectual today. Nothing need be added to
save a sinner and nothing that a saved sinner can do can detract from this perfect
salvation for Christ’s work is complete and finished.
John tells us in verse 16 that the offer of salvation through Christ is an offer that
originates and is motivated by the Lord’s love. 16 For God so loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life. Here is a little insight into the very heart of God. The holy God
who was and is sinned against and offended, maligned, distrusted, rejected, and
rebelled against by man displays his offer of forgiveness and reconciliation as He is
motivated by love. Love is more than an attitude or an emotion it is an action! The
essence of love is the action of giving. The greater the gift the greater the love. No one
can ever out give God. No one can out give His greatest gift! He gave His Son to
suffer on this sin cursed world filled with bad news. He gave His Son to suffer the
torments of the cross on the cross the Lord Jesus suffered extreme agony and
torment. He suffered intense physical pain as nails were driven through his ankles and
his wrists. He suffered acute emotional pain when His disciples forsook him, his own
nation rejected him and crucified Him. He suffered and spiritually when His heavenly
Father hid His love from HIm. Why did God the Father give His Son to suffer? He gave
His Son motivated by love for sinners. He gave His Son because His Son is the only
one who can save sinners. Salvation through Christ is good news.
Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you wish to know more of this good
news?
If you have any questions about the gospel message and wish to contact Pastor
Koenen you can do so at 1-403-553-4180. If you wish to hear more of the gospel
message you can listen to our archived sermons attached in our web-site.
We live in a world in which we are surrounded with bad news. When we open our
newspapers the columns are filled with reports of disaster and death which are found
globally, nationally, and locally. Bad news is all around us. Why do we live in a world
filled with bad news? The word of God gives us the answer, Adam plunged the human
race into sin in Paradise and estranged man from God the only ultimate Good.
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death
passed upon all men, for that all have sinned”(Rom. 5:12). The affect of sin is
universal, “for all have sinned” and the consequences of sin is a world filled with
disaster and death.
Is there any good news to be found or heard that is of eternal and everlasting
value? Again the Word of God tells us, we read in “John 3:14-16 14 And as Moses
lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15
That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. 16 For God
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him
should not perish, but have everlasting life.
In verse 14 the gospel of John is referring to the time when the children of Israel were
in the wilderness and were bitten and dying by snakes and the Lord commanded
Moses to make a brazen serpent and promised that whosoever looked on the serpent
would be healed and live.
The Lord Jesus was lifted up on the cross as the remedy for sin bitten sinners just
as Moses lifted up a serpent in the old testament. Sinners who are surrounded in and
living in a world of sin. Sinners who are sin bitten, hurting, dieing, desperate. He died
on the cross to pay the penalty of sin. He died on the cross to reconcile estranged
sinners with an righteous holy God. He died on the cross to pardon guilty sinners. He
died on the cross to cleanse filthy sinners. He died to give life to dead sinners. He
died on the cross for all types of sinners.
Whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Whosoever
means whosoever. Sinners from every tribe, people, tongue and nation. Sinners who
are cold, hard, indifferent, rebellious, sensible, serious, enslaved, addicted.
Whosoever, means whosoever. The sinner who is uneducated or educated, rich or
poor, young or old. Whosoever means whosoever. There are no conditions that we
must meet before being eligible to be saved. We are all sinners and in need of a
savior. Whosoever invites every sinner to come to the savior.
Romans 10:13, promises “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be
saved.” There is power in the name of Jesus when we call upon the name of the Lord
Jesus we are calling upon the omnipotent Savior of whom all power is given in heaven
and in earth. There is a promise to all who call, they shall be delivered and set free,
immediately. Salvation is immediate salvation. When the children of Israel looked at
the serpent in the wilderness they were healed immediately. One look, one prayer by
faith saves. It is faith in Jesus that Saves. Faith is a knowledge of who Jesus is, an
agreement with what the Bible says about him and a personal confidence in Him as
my Savior. All who believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.
Salvation is a complete and eternal salvation. The Savior is a complete Savior
therefore the deliverance he gives is complete as well. Faith unites a sinner to Christ
everything he is and has done becomes the sinners. There is nothing that needs to be
added, no tears, no good works, no bible reading, no set number of prayers, no
formula, no series of steps to go through before salvation. The Lord Jesus declared on
the cross, “It is finished” (John 19:30), which means salvation has been accomplished
and its accomplishment continues to be effectual today. Nothing need be added to
save a sinner and nothing that a saved sinner can do can detract from this perfect
salvation for Christ’s work is complete and finished.
John tells us in verse 16 that the offer of salvation through Christ is an offer that
originates and is motivated by the Lord’s love. 16 For God so loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life. Here is a little insight into the very heart of God. The holy God
who was and is sinned against and offended, maligned, distrusted, rejected, and
rebelled against by man displays his offer of forgiveness and reconciliation as He is
motivated by love. Love is more than an attitude or an emotion it is an action! The
essence of love is the action of giving. The greater the gift the greater the love. No one
can ever out give God. No one can out give His greatest gift! He gave His Son to
suffer on this sin cursed world filled with bad news. He gave His Son to suffer the
torments of the cross on the cross the Lord Jesus suffered extreme agony and
torment. He suffered intense physical pain as nails were driven through his ankles and
his wrists. He suffered acute emotional pain when His disciples forsook him, his own
nation rejected him and crucified Him. He suffered and spiritually when His heavenly
Father hid His love from HIm. Why did God the Father give His Son to suffer? He gave
His Son motivated by love for sinners. He gave His Son because His Son is the only
one who can save sinners. Salvation through Christ is good news.
Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you wish to know more of this good
news?
If you have any questions about the gospel message and wish to contact Pastor
Koenen you can do so at 1-403-553-4180. If you wish to hear more of the gospel
message you can listen to our archived sermons attached in our web-site.
| Pastor Wade Koenen |