Posts Tagged The Cross
I will boast in this.
Posted by Randall W. Ross in Theology, Thoughts and Reflections on April 12, 2009
I love this time of year. I’m not talking about the warming of the weather, or the holidays and vacations that we get to enjoy. I am referring to a special season in the life of the church. This time of year enables us to focus in on the center of our life. We get to celebrate Easter.
One moment in this year’s Easter service sticks out to me. It came in the form of a song: Stuart Townend’s How Deep the Father’s Love for Us. These lines in particular:
I will not boast in anything
No gifts, no power, no wisdom
But I will boast in Jesus Christ
His death and resurrection
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
What other reason do we have to rejoice on Easter but the truth in these lines. We have done nothing to earn God’s favor, His grace. We bring nothing into the transaction…no gifts, no power, no wisdom. It is purely an act of mercy from the Father to draw us to Himself, through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus.
Why? Why would we gain from this? We are the ones that put Him on that tree. It was our sin that put him there…the sin of our despising and rejecting…our sin of cursing His name and mocking Him. It was our sin of nailing our Savior to a cross.
But God, even in this was at work. It was our sin…the weight and burden…the guilt that we rightly bear…that held Him there. In his great love, Jesus Christ went to the cross and bore our sins in his body. He died upon our cross. The wrath of God was poured out on Him instead of on us.
His wounds have paid my ransom.
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God
2 Corinthians 5:21
I will boast in this.
It was all Him.
It was all by Him.
It is all for Him and His Glory.
Amen.
This the Power of the Cross
Posted by Randall W. Ross in Media Critique, Music, Thoughts and Reflections, Worship on April 7, 2009
Oh, to see the dawn
Of the darkest day:
Christ on the road to Calvary.
Tried by sinful men,
Torn and beaten, then
Nailed to a cross of wood.
CHORUS:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Christ became sin for us;
Took the blame, bore the wrath—
We stand forgiven at the cross.
Oh, to see the pain
Written on Your face,
Bearing the awesome weight of sin.
Ev’ry bitter thought,
Ev’ry evil deed
Crowning Your bloodstained brow.
Now the daylight flees;
Now the ground beneath
Quakes as its Maker bows His head.
Curtain torn in two,
Dead are raised to life;
“Finished!” the vict’ry cry.
Oh, to see my name
Written in the wounds,
For through Your suffering I am free.
Death is crushed to death;
Life is mine to live,
Won through Your selfless love.
FINAL CHORUS:
This, the pow’r of the cross:
Son of God—slain for us.
What a love! What a cost!
We stand forgiven at the cross.
“The Power of the Cross”
Words and Music by Keith Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music
Our Study this Easter
Posted by Randall W. Ross in Events, Student Ministry on April 2, 2009
Let’s look at this central and amazing Truth together.
We look forward to seeing you there:
Thursdays: April 2 and 9, 7-9pm for Grades 5-8
Sunday: April 5, 6-8pm for Grades 9-12
Honor and Fear the Lord
Posted by Randall W. Ross in Teaching on February 12, 2009
If then I am a father, where is my honor? if I am a master, where is my Fear? Malachi 1:6
I had the privilege recently of preaching during the morning sevice at our church. We are in a study of the book of Malachi. This last book of the Old Testament deals directly with God’s people, admonishing them for turning away from God and following their own law and desires. My passage was Ch. 1:6-2:9. This section covers a “heart issue” that always proves damaging to our faithfulness to God and our witness to others: refusing to honor and fear the Lord.
When God is not honored and feared, essentially we are saying He is not Lord of our life. When this is so, our actions and words become corrupted and reproachable. God is not pleased with this. His name (His character and authority) is to be holy and set apart. Others are supposed to see our honor and fear of Him (in our right actions and words) and glorify Him as well.
Thankfully, God will correct us as children, turning us from ourselves to a place of willing submission once more. Praise be to God that He is so gracious.
Here is the video of that sermon:
Our Loss, Heaven’s Gain
Posted by Chris Rookus in History, Personal Connections, The Past, Thoughts and Reflections on February 11, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009 I attended the memorial service for a friend, my Pastor of old Dan Cummings. In my previous article I talked about friendships, deep, meaningful friendships that are more about pursuing Christ together & struggling together rather than anything else. Dan Cummings was this type of friend, mentor, shepherd. Dan ran the good race. He may have grown weary toward the end, but he always ran hard. Dan was in fact a marathon runner. Not only did he run them, but he ran them well! His pace was incredible for someone who did not find a passion for running until later in life. While he ran he dreamed of chasing Kenyans on Boston’s world renown course. Let’s just say his pace was much closer to those Kenyans than mine is or ever will be!
As the bagpipes played in his honor I couldn’t help but think that it really was a saint we were laying to rest. I felt that a service full of richness & glorifying commentaries would be appropriate for this man who lived his life to the glory of God. But instead of it being about Dan, to his request I’m sure, it was about his Savior Jesus Christ. The name of Jesus was proclaimed again & again & again. It reminded me of times when Dan would sit on the steps of the stage at Grace Community between 22 & 12 years ago as he would plead with us, tears rolling down his face, to not miss Jesus, to not miss the Savior dwelling among us “right here on these steps…”
Dan was diagnosed with cancer 10 months ago. Recently he asked a dear friend & mentor to help him “die well”. When this friend & mentor spoke at Dan’s funeral he spoke of the life & love Dan had for preaching the full Gospel. Yes, the FULL Gospel. Not just what Jesus said in Matthew, Mark, Luke & John nor in just the teachings of Paul or the rest of the New Testament. But the whole narrative from Genesis to Revelation. Dan loved so much the full Word of God. He lived & breathed it.
When Dan’s casket passed by us in the back of the auditorium I had the sense that greatness had left us. He had. I believe I now understand a little clearer what it is to be a shepherd, a pastor, a father, a husband, a friend and last but not least, a child of God. Dan not only lived, but he lived well. He is now a part of that “great cloud of witnesses” that have gone before us. When the bagpiper played Amazing Grace I wept. When we sang Holy Holy Holy, I trembled in His presence. But I have never thought & imagined so clearly the joy of the one leaving us as he faces his eternal companion, his Savior Jesus Christ, finally. After many years of pointing others to Him he is now there. What a reward! What a complete joy to be in the presence of the Master!
Dan was a great man of God & will always be remembered for many things by many people. But my wife Kristi & I will forever remember him for telling us on our wedding day to “Remember Christ! Remember Christ! Remember Christ! When you raise your children, when you live, laugh & cry together and when people enter your home and watch how you live, it is Jesus they will see. Remember Christ. Remember Christ. Remember Christ.”
Dan, thank you for your faithful service, friendship, leadership & unwavering fight for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. You will be missed greatly. Soli Deo Gloria!
