Pastor Stephen Dedman

Category: Salvation

It Is Finished

Encouragement, Faith, Salvation

It Is Finished

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
‭‭John‬ ‭19:30‬ ‭

Fulfilled

Jesus’ death on the cross fulfilled numerous prophecies that were foretold in the Old Testament and the New Testament. Jesus satisfied all requirements that were necessary to provide a blood atonement sacrifice for all sins. Although Jesus never sinned, He died a sinner’s death on the cross. Once and for all, the punishment of sin was accomplished.

God had a plan from the very beginning. Jesus dying on the cross was not plan “B” nor was it an accident.  The crucifixion of Jesus was the ultimate plan before man was ever created. God knew what He was doing and knew that Jesus would be the One who could do it.

As Jesus suffered in torment He shouted triumphantly from the cross, “It is finished!”  Jesus had completed the work that God sent Him to accomplish. He had faithfully fulfilled the will of the Father and it was completed. His death marks the end of all sacrifices. His blood and broken body was the perfect sacrifice that satisfied God’s requirements for the forgiveness of sin. At the moment when Jesus shouted these words the debt was paid in full. No longer was it necessary to offer another burnt sacrifice for sin. The perfect Lamb of God was offered up and it was approved by God. Jesus ended the old covenant and started the new. Now the new covenant is solely based upon the grace of God through Jesus Christ.

May we always remember the works of Christ that gives eternal life to those who believe in Him.

Prayer

Lord, we seek to please you with our whole life by living holy and righteously unto You.

daily devotional

His Brothers

Faith, Salvation, Trust

His Brothers

For not even his brothers believed in him.
‭‭John‬ ‭7:5‬

daily devotional

The Lost Are Dying

Does it concern you to hear that someone near and dear to you doesn’t believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior?  Do you have family members who are not save?  As Christians we should be concerned for those who are lost.

Even Jesus faced the issue of His own half-brothers not believing that He was the Messiah until after He was resurrected from the dead. James, especially, did not believe in the faith until after Jesus died on the cross and arose from the grave. Then James became a leader in the early church in Jerusalem and was concerned about the faith of many others. Jude was another brother that eventually believed after the resurrection. They knew who Jesus was but they did not place their faith in Him as Lord until later in life.

This gives us hope and comfort that in the Lord’s timing there is salvation given to our family and friends that we love so much. We must never give up sharing our faith and testifying to others about who Jesus is to us. There is hope that one day they will see Jesus for who He really is. We must pray for our unbelieving family and friends and keep trying to win them to Christ. Sometimes we get so “churched” and close to our fellow believers that we lose sight of those who are lost and dying. We need to pray for those who do not have faith in Jesus nor eternal life. If you knew that someone you cared about was going to Hell would you make it a point to say something to assist the Hoy Spirit in saving their life?

Prayer

Lord, place a concern in my heart for those who are lost and without You.

Daily Devotional

You Have Been Healed

Faith, Salvation, Trust

You Have Been Healed

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:24‬ ‭

Take Up Your Cross Daily

Many people wear a cross as jewelry to symbolize their love and devotion to Jesus. Indeed a picture a cross makes us remember Jesus and the forgiveness of sins. The empty cross even proves He is alive and forever our Redeemer.

2,000 years ago the cross meant much more than forgiveness. Crucifixion was the most horrible and gruesome way to die. It was the suffering that was so brutal to the victim upon the tree. If we were to go back in time and visualize the suffering and shame that Jesus endured upon the cross we probably wouldn’t consider it as art and jewelry. Instead we would remember it as a tragedy and horrific death of the person who took our place and satisfied our debt of sin.  If we really focus on the cross it would make us live a more righteous and holy life as we consider what Jesus went through on our behalf.

Peter is not referring to a physical healing but instead a spiritual healing due to our sin nature.  Jesus has given us a spiritual healing that sets us free from the wages of sin and from the burden that it brings.  As a Christian consider yourself healed from the sickness of sin.  Just as leprosy and blindness was considered to be brought about due to sinful behavior, we are healed from the dreadful effects that sin brings into our life.  We all seek physical healing from our Lord but the death of Jesus upon the cross graces us with spiritual healing for eternity.  Consider the cross and die daily to your sin and submit to the authority of Jesus Christ.

Prayer

Lord, I give myself as a living sacrifice and submit to your ways and to your will. You are my Master and Savior.