"Jesus came healing sickness and disease. He confronts God's enemies in the spiritual realm, the demons, and forcefully orders them to leave the people whom they torment. Jesus forgives the sins of those who humbly come to him. He proclaims the gospel, or good news, that: 'Time's up! God's kingdom is here. Change your life and believe the Message.' (Mark 1:15, The Message) The very heart of Jesus' Message is the good news of the coming of God's reign. God is coming back to dwell with his people. This is why Jesus is called Immanuel, which means 'God with us'...And Jesus' death is actually God's greatest victory, turning the tables on God's enemy. By willingly giving up his life as a sacrifice, Jesus takes onto himself God's judgment for our wrongdoing. He gives up his own life as a sacrifice for his people as Israel's true priest. He leads his people to a new Exodus, through death to a new life. In all of this Jesus shows himself to be the promised child of Abraham who reconciles humanity with God. It is through Jesus that Israel can finally fulfill its role, the purpose for which God called Abraham.
This is where God brings us (as His People) onto the scene: God wants the victory of Jesus to spread to all the nations of the world. Those who follow Jesus are being built into God's new temple, the place where God's Spirit lives. God is gathering these people from all around the world and forming them into his church. The task of bringing blessing to the peoples of the world has been given again to the descendants of Abraham. According to the NT, all those who belong to Christ are true children of Abraham (Gal. 3:29). We are to proclaim AND live out the liberating message of the good news of Christ's kingdom. We get to be a part of God's mission of re-creation - of restoring the world around us - and making the world (including ourselves) new!" Until, that final glorious day arrives and all is finished. Then, the first heaven and earth will be no more and in its place will be a new heaven and a new earth and the dwelling place of God will be with man once again. He will be present amongst his people, who will now be like Him, no longer in part but in full. They will be his people and God himself will be with them as their God, wiping every tear from their eyes, death conquered, all mourning, crying and pain are gone, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21, 22)
Grateful for Eugene Peterson's concise rendition of The Story of God, the Bible. While my rambling thoughts are scattered throughout this website, God saw it fit, through Eugene, to re-present them here with a clarity that's refreshingly direct and to-the-point. Praying you were blessed as you read! : )
This is where God brings us (as His People) onto the scene: God wants the victory of Jesus to spread to all the nations of the world. Those who follow Jesus are being built into God's new temple, the place where God's Spirit lives. God is gathering these people from all around the world and forming them into his church. The task of bringing blessing to the peoples of the world has been given again to the descendants of Abraham. According to the NT, all those who belong to Christ are true children of Abraham (Gal. 3:29). We are to proclaim AND live out the liberating message of the good news of Christ's kingdom. We get to be a part of God's mission of re-creation - of restoring the world around us - and making the world (including ourselves) new!" Until, that final glorious day arrives and all is finished. Then, the first heaven and earth will be no more and in its place will be a new heaven and a new earth and the dwelling place of God will be with man once again. He will be present amongst his people, who will now be like Him, no longer in part but in full. They will be his people and God himself will be with them as their God, wiping every tear from their eyes, death conquered, all mourning, crying and pain are gone, for the former things have passed away. (Revelation 21, 22)
Grateful for Eugene Peterson's concise rendition of The Story of God, the Bible. While my rambling thoughts are scattered throughout this website, God saw it fit, through Eugene, to re-present them here with a clarity that's refreshingly direct and to-the-point. Praying you were blessed as you read! : )
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