Your
Weekly I-Mail Vol. 38 Oct 19, 2006
"For the law was given through
Moses;
Grace and Truth were realized through Jesus
Christ"
John 1:17
T His previous Sunday,
Conrad's message centered around the
examples
of grace and truth found in the eighth chapter in the gospel of John.
Early in
his gospel (1:17) John lets us know that these two aspects of God's eternal
character are the heart of His revelation through Jesus Christ. The
story of the women caught in adultery in John 8:1-11 illustrates the
revelation of grace through Jesus Christ. The conversation with the
Pharisees in 8:31-58 Jesus reveals God's truth about our sin and
the truth about His being God in the flesh.
GRACE
God's
grace is His unmerited favor at Christ's expense. His grace saves sinners from
the condemnation of the law and brings them back into eternal
relationship with God. According to the Law of Moses, the women caught in
adultery was to be stoned to death. Instead, she was spared this fate through
direct intervention of the One who came to fulfill the
Law:
"He
who is without sin...let him be the first to throw a stone at
her...
Neither do I condemn you; go your way. From now on sin no
more."
John 8: 7 and 11
Jesus was
able to declare her pardon because at the cross He would satisfy the Law
Giver's justice for her sin and ours. His intervention in this
women's life is a beautiful picture of God's His grace toward
sinners today.
TRUTH
In John
14:5-7 Jesus equated Himself with the Truth:
"I am the
way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through me. If you really knew me, you would know my father as
well"
The truth revealed through Jesus Christ is living and personal,
not propositional or impersonal. As the
living truth, He not only reveals our sin, but also brings us freedom from
it. His truth
sets us free to become the Father's sons and daughters through
Him:
"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you
free...
Truly,
truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of
sin...
If therefore the Son shall make you free, you shall be free
indeed..."
John 8: 32
The truth
of Christ being God in the flesh brings new hope to those of
us who are painfully aware of the limitations
of our fallen nature. It is not enough to rely on a godly human
ancestors. Even Abraham was aware of his need for redemption from
inherited sin:
I
know that you are Abraham's offspring yet you seek to kill
Me...
Your
father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, he saw it and was
glad...
Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I
am."
Conrad
summed it up well by stating: that "without this truth, there is no
grace, no atonement for our sin, no forgiveness for our sins, no eternal
life...
Jesus is
grace and truth...Let's celebrate Jesus as grace and truth and let's pray for
those we know to see Him as grace and truth.
Amen!!
This Week at
Immanuel
Desperate times call for
desperate
prayer!!!
Everyone is urged to come to
the
Queens House of
Prayer Night Worship and Intercession
This Friday @ First
Presbyterian Sanctuary
at 7:00pm.
Please join us as we seek the
Lord together
with brothers and sisters from
neighboring
congregations.
Men?s Ministry
DON'T FORGET--ICC Men begin
the DVD curriculum Wild at Heart THIS SATURDAY in Faith Hall
at 8:00am.
Please bring your own a bagged breakfast,
Coffee will be provided.(Check out the eggs sandwiches from the
Corner Store on 41st Avenue between 149th Street and 149th Pl).
ICC Sunday Congregational Prayer Meetings
?
All ICC
members are urged to join the Elders for congregational prayer immediately
after this Sunday's coffee hour at 1:45p.m.
Sunday afternoon prayer meetings are being held for a season to help
clarify God?s calling and strategies for
ICC.
Please
make arrangements to join
us!!!
Pastor Mark
