Blessings in Affliction: April 2017

Easter 2017

Here's my Easter 2017 message:

Dear Beavers,

The Easter I remember most vividly of the 18 Easters I spent in & around Scottsdale was one where Mom took us 2 teen-agers (my sister, Judy, and me) to Glass and Garden Drive-In Church in Scottsdale. You listened to the sermon and “ushers” would come to your car with the collection plate. Now it’s no longer a Drive-In church. Happy Easter, Beavers!

God’s Good Pleasure Heb.13:30,21

The 2 verses I memorized in Scottsdale are from Hebrews 13:20-21--

20	Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
21	Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever.Amen.
MSG ©	Now put you together, provide you with everything you need to please him, Make us into what gives him most pleasure, by means of the sacrifice of Jesus, the Messiah. All glory to Jesus forever and always! Oh, yes, yes, yes.

1 The Title of God’s pleasure—God of peace Rom.15:33;

Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

1 Thess.5:23--And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I had no peace until I got Jesus who is our Peace Ephesians 2:14Christ is our peace. He made both Jews and Gentiles into one group. With his body, he broke down the barrier of hatred that divided us. Know Jesus: know peace! No Jesus: no peace.

2 The Man of God’s pleasure—Our Lord Jesus Prov.8:30

30	Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;

Proverbs 8:22-31 God says that wisdom is primary and fundamental. It is the foundation on which all life is built. Paul and John may have alluded to some of Solomon's statements about wisdom to describe Christ's presence at the creation of the world (Colossians 1:15-17; Colossians 2:2, 3; --these 2 passages I memorized while living in Scottsdale, too; Revelation 3:14).

3 The Act of God’s pleasure—brought again from the dead Acts 2:22,24

22	"Listen, Israelites, to what I say. Jesus, the Nazarene, a man accredited to you from God by miracles and marvels and signs which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know, Him--
23	delivered up through God's settled purpose and foreknowledge--you by the hands of Gentiles have nailed to a cross and have put to death.
24	But God has raised Him to life, having terminated the throes of death, for in fact it was not possible for Him to be held fast by death.

Peter spoke forthrightly about the resurrection. As Peter preached, the events of Christ’s death and resurrection were still hot news, less than 2 months old. Christ’s execution had been carried out in public before many witnesses. His empty tomb was available for inspection just a short distance away. If Christ had not truly died, Peter’s message would have been laughed at or ignored. If Christ had not been resurrected, authorities could have produced his body and put an end to this new faith. But Peter and the apostles had witnessed the risen Christ. Changed men, they announced the news with great passion and conviction.

4 The Sacrifice of God’s pleasure—the blood of the everlasting covenant Isaiah.53:10

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. I.e.

Isaiah 53:10 (ESV) Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

The Messiah suffered for our sakes, bearing our sins to make us acceptable to God. What can we say to such love? How will we respond to him?

5 The People of God’s pleasure—make YOU perfect Ephesians 1:5,9

Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

“Predestined”means marked out beforehand. This is another way of saying that salvation is God’s work and not our own doing. In his infinite love, God has adopted those believing in His Son as His own children. Through Jesus’ sacrifice, he has brought us into his family and made us heirs along with Jesus (Romans 8:17). In Roman law, adopted children had the same rights and privileges as biological children, even if they had been slaves. Paul uses this term to show how strong our relationship to God is. Have you entered into this loving relationship with God?

Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:

6 The Purpose of God’s pleasure—to do His will

Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. =

AMPC --

For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

VOICE

For we are the product of His hand, heaven’s poetry etched on lives, created in the Anointed, Jesus, to accomplish the good works God arranged long ago.

7 The Process of God’s pleasure—working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight through Jesus Christ Hebrews 13:21

²¹^hequip you with everything good that you may do his will, ⁱworking in us¹ that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, ^jto whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

This verse includes 2 important results of Christ’s death and resurrection. In reverse order, God works in us to make us the kind of people that would please him, and he equips us to do the kind of work that would please him. Let God change yuou from within and then use you to help others.

This is all ‘ACCORDING TO THE GOOD PLEASURE OF HIS WILL’ Ephesians 1:5

Resurrection of Christ

To Joseph’s tomb where none had lain

They carried Him whom foes had slain,

Men set a guard; men sealed the stone;

Men left Him there to sleep alone.

The Sabbath passed: the first day came,

And Mary turned to hear her name.

While Salem slept, the Mighty dead

Had risen from His rocky bed.

In Him our hope, our longing are,

Who is our bright, our Morning Star.

Dr. Johnstone G. Patrick

(Matt. 28.6)

Happy easteR,

Beavers!

Jack Gutknecht

Blessings in Affliction

Thursday, April 20, 2017

True Discipleship

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

Easter 2017