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. Happy Easter, Beavers!
God’s Good Pleasure Heb.13:30,21
The
2 verses I memorized in Scottsdale are from Hebrews 13:20-21--
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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.
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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
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
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"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--
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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.
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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.
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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
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“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?
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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. =
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].
Or
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!
