Category: Incarnation

Categories
Incarnation Jesus Redemption

Entering Our Box

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (ESV) Why did Jesus leave the glory of heaven to come to earth? What motivated Him to leave an environment of pure and persistent worship to dwell among sinful and rebellious humanity? God chose to become like us. God robed Himself in flesh. Religion is man’s attempt to break out the box of the natural and to seek to enter the realm of the supernatural. Man’s attempt is futile at best. Knowing that we could not enter the realm of the supernatural, God chose to enter our natural realm. God entered our box in the Person of Jesus. Jesus lived a sinless life and died a sacrificial death to atone for our sins. Jesus did for us that which we could not do for ourselves. Our righteousness does not measure up to the standard of God’s holiness. Even on our best day, we completely miss the mark of God’s perfection. The Good News is that the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. Jesus identified with us so that we could identify with Him. Jesus came from the Father full of grace. His grace provides us with the gift of eternal life that we could never earn, nor deserve. His grace enables us to accept His acceptance of us. Jesus also came from the Father full of truth. The truth of our condition without Christ is that of utter hopelessness. We stand bankrupt before our Holy God. Jesus demonstrated the truth of forgiveness, righteousness, and restoration. The truth is that our sin debt has been paid in full. Drawing Near, Stephen Trammell Lead Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Incarnation Love Reconciliation

Declaration of His Love

“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Colossians 1:19-20 (NIV) God was pleased! His unconditional love prompted His pursuit of rescuing us from our depravity. Having all His fullness dwell in Jesus brought God pleasure. God built the ultimate love bridge by becoming like us in Christ. The incarnation is a declaration of the fantastic love of God that transcends our understanding and benefits our forever. Through Christ, God reconciled us. In our sin, we were separated and alienated from Holy God. Only the depth of God’s love could bridge the gulf of our indifference. We were hopeless, helpless, and hell bound. But God acted in history to revolutionize our eternal destiny. God decided what to do for us long before we could do anything with God or for God! How did God accomplish the reconciliation and restoration of fallen humanity? God provided the ultimate sacrifice to remove our utter sin. Jesus made peace with God on our behalf through shedding His blood on the cross. Jesus did for us that which we could not do for ourselves. We were not qualified to pay the penalty of our own sin. We were not fit to receive the full wrath of God for sin. The iniquity of us all was laid on Jesus (Isa. 53:6). Have you responded to the pleasure of God in Christ? Have you received the wonderful gift of eternal life, which God was pleased to provide to you in Christ? Now invest your life in sharing the message of reconciliation and extending the ministry of reconciliation. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Incarnation Rescue Salvation

Rescue

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst.” 1 Tim 1:15 (NIV) Remember the reason Jesus descended. Don’t lose sight of the reason Jesus left the glory of heaven to come to the earth. Jesus embarked on the ultimate mission trip when He chose to leave the glorious environment of angels worshiping at His feet to enter our messy world of rebellion, ridicule, and rejection. No one else was sufficient to accomplish what Jesus completed by coming into the world. No one else qualified to remove our sin and to impute righteousness. When I think about the mission trip Jesus took for my benefit, I am overwhelmed with the thought that He knew what He was coming to. Jesus knew exactly what He was coming to, and He still came! Jesus knew every sin I would commit, every command I would omit, and He still came! Jesus knew my proclivity to drift from His path of righteousness, my propensity to swim in the sea of selfishness, and He still came! Paul clarified for Timothy that the reason Jesus came was to save sinners. Jesus was on mission to rescue the perishing and to care for the dying. Paul quickly acknowledged that he was the worst of sinners. In others words, if “sinning” was an Olympic event, Paul would have won the gold medal. Jesus came into the world to save gold medalist sinners like you and me. What a refreshing revelation! There is no one beyond the reach of God’s grace. There is not a person on earth whom the Lord cannot save. Regardless of their past rebellion, their present sinfulness, and their perpetual spiritual apathy, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Rom. 10:13). When people experience the salvation Jesus provides, they receive His nature to live a life that brings honor to God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Incarnation Love Reconciliation

Declaration of His Love

“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Col 1:19-20 (NIV) God was pleased! His unconditional love prompted His pursuit of rescuing us from our depravity. Having all His fullness dwell in Jesus brought God pleasure. God built the ultimate love bridge by becoming like us in Christ. The incarnation is a declaration of the fantastic love of God that transcends our understanding and benefits our forever. Through Christ, God reconciled us. In our sin, we were separated and alienated from Holy God. Only the depth of God’s love could bridge the gulf of our indifference. We were hopeless, helpless, and hell bound. But God acted in history to revolutionize our eternal destiny. God decided what to do for us long before we could do anything with God or for God! How did God accomplish the reconciliation and restoration of fallen humanity? God provided the ultimate sacrifice to remove our utter sin. Jesus made peace with God on our behalf through shedding His blood on the cross. Jesus did for us that which we could not do for ourselves. We were not qualified to pay the penalty of our own sin. We were not fit to receive the full wrath of God for sin. The iniquity of us all was laid on Jesus (Is. 53:6). Have you responded to the pleasure of God in Christ? Have you received the wonderful gift of eternal life, which God was pleased to provide to you in Christ? Now invest your life in sharing the message of reconciliation and extending the ministry of reconciliation. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Incarnation Rescue Salvation

Rescue

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners–of whom I am the worst.” 1 Tim 1:15 (NIV) Remember the reason Jesus descended. Don’t lose sight of the reason Jesus left the glory of heaven to come to the earth. Jesus embarked on the ultimate mission trip when He chose to leave the glorious environment of angels worshiping at His feet to enter our messy world of rebellion, ridicule, and rejection. No one else was sufficient to accomplish what Jesus completed by coming into the world. No one else qualified to remove our sin and to impute righteousness. When I think about the mission trip Jesus took for my benefit, I am overwhelmed with the thought that He knew what He was coming to. Jesus knew exactly what He was coming to, and He still came! Jesus knew every sin I would commit, every command I would omit, and He still came! Jesus knew my proclivity to drift from His path of righteousness, my propensity to swim in the sea of selfishness, and He still came! Paul clarified for Timothy that the reason Jesus came was to save sinners. Jesus was on mission to rescue the perishing and to care for the dying. Paul quickly acknowledged that he was the worst of sinners. In others words, if “sinning” was an Olympic event, Paul would have won the gold medal. Jesus came into the world to save gold medalist sinners like you and me. What a refreshing revelation! There is no one beyond the reach of God’s grace. There is not a person on earth whom the Lord cannot save. Regardless of their past rebellion, their present sinfulness, and their perpetual spiritual apathy, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (Rom. 10:13). When people experience the salvation Jesus provides, they receive His nature to live a life that brings honor to God. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Incarnation Jesus Redemption

Entering Our Box

“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 (NIV) Why did Jesus leave the glory of heaven to come to earth? What motivated Him to leave an environment of pure and persistent worship to dwell among sinful and rebellious humanity? God chose to become like us. God robed Himself in flesh. Religion is man’s attempt to break out the box of the natural and to seek to enter the realm of the supernatural. Man’s attempt is futile at best. Knowing that we could not enter the realm of the supernatural, God chose to enter our natural realm. God entered our box in the Person of Jesus. Jesus lived a sinless life and died a sacrificial death to atone for our sins. Jesus did for us that which we could not do for ourselves. Our righteousness does not measure up to the standard of God’s holiness. Even on our best day, we completely miss the mark of God’s perfection. The Good News is that the Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. Jesus identified with us so that we could identify with Him. Jesus came from the Father full of grace. His grace provides us with the gift of eternal life that we could never earn, nor deserve. His grace enables us to accept His acceptance of us. Jesus also came from the Father full of truth. The truth of our condition without Christ is that of utter hopelessness. We stand bankrupt before our Holy God. Jesus demonstrated the truth of forgiveness, righteousness, and restoration. The truth is that our sin debt has been paid in full. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
God's Faithfulness Incarnation Mary

Celebrating God’s Faithfulness

“And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me–holy is his name.’” Luke 1:46-49 (NIV) Life moves so quickly that it is sometimes a challenge to slow down long enough to count our blessings. God has lavished us with His love and unleashed His bounty of blessings in our lives. We are so fortunate to be alive and reconciled to God through Christ. Our new identity in Christ is eternally secure. We have instant access to the throne room of God through prayer. The Holy Spirit is living inside of us and Jesus is at the right hand of the Father interceding for us. We have been given every spiritual blessing in Christ. Jesus has given us eternal life and life to the full. Mary was so overwhelmed by the favor of God in being chosen to bear the Son of God. She celebrated God’s faithfulness by glorifying the Lord and rejoicing in God as her Savior. Mary affirmed God’s attentiveness to her humble state and praised God for the blessings He bestowed upon her. With deep gratitude, Mary expressed her appreciation to God through song. She acknowledged the great things the Mighty One had done for her. Have you had that kind of experience where you began singing praise to God for all that He has done for you? You may want to carve out a few moments to write or type a response of praise to God for all that He has done for you. Express your gratitude to God for His faithfulness in your life. He will continue to see you through. Remember, you are the apple of His eye! Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Fullness Incarnation Reconciliation

God’s Initiative

“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Col 1:19-20 (NIV) God was pleased! His unconditional love prompted His pursuit of rescuing us from our depravity. Having all His fullness dwell in Jesus brought God pleasure. God built the ultimate love bridge by becoming like us in Christ. The incarnation is a declaration of the fantastic love of God that transcends our understanding and benefits our forever. Through Christ, God reconciled us. In our sin, we were separated and alienated from Holy God. Only the depth of God’s love could bridge the gulf of our indifference. We were hopeless, helpless, and hell bound. But God acted in history to revolutionize our eternal destiny. God decided what to do for us long before we could do anything with God or for God! How did God accomplish the reconciliation and restoration of fallen humanity? God provided the ultimate sacrifice to remove our utter sin. Jesus made peace with God on our behalf through shedding His blood on the cross. Jesus did for us that which we could not do for ourselves. We were not qualified to pay the penalty of our own sin. We were not fit to receive the full wrath of God for sin. The iniquity of us all was laid on Jesus (Is. 53:6). Have you responded to the pleasure of God in Christ? Have you received the wonderful gift of eternal life, which God was pleased to provide to you in Christ? God became like you in Christ, so that you could become like Him in Christ. What is your current reality? You have been reconciled by God and for God. Now invest your life in sharing the message of reconciliation and extending the ministry of reconciliation. Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Incarnation Intimacy with God Jesus

Seeing God

“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” Col 1:15 (NIV) God has set eternity in your heart (Ecc. 3:11). As a result, there is a longing for humanity to discover their true identity. There is a compulsion to find God. God has revealed Himself through nature (Rm. 1:20) and ultimately through Jesus. God chose to robe Himself in flesh and dwell among us (John 1:14). Over the centuries, individuals have sought to make God in their own image. Tangible and visible gods have been fashioned to help humanity make sense out of the invisible God. God is spirit (John 4:24). Philip had a longing to see God so he asked Jesus to show him the Father. Jesus replied to Philip, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 4:24). Jesus is the exact representation of God. If you want to know what God is like, just look at Jesus. As you study the life of Christ and seek to emulate Him, you will discover what God is like. God has made Himself known through Jesus. When you receive the gift of eternal life and allow Jesus to become the Lord of your life, you begin to discover the heart of God. His nature and character become evident because He chooses to live inside of you in the Person of the Holy Spirit. You become the walking tabernacle of the Presence of God. You have Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27). Have you seen God? Walk with Jesus and you will see God. Read and feed on God’s Word daily. Become a person of prayer and seek the Lord through the discipline and devotion of unbroken fellowship with Christ. God will reveal His glory to you as you walk in daily intimacy. Don’t settle for casual Christianity. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you (James 4:8). Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor Follow me on twitter at: http://twitter.com/stephentrammell

Categories
Grief Humanity of Christ Humility Incarnation Life Sympathy

Living the Life (5)

“Jesus wept.” John 11:35 (NIV)  Jesus wept aloud when He stood over unrepentant Jerusalem in their failure to recognize Him as Savior. But when Jesus stood before the tomb of Lazarus, He shed a tear. Jesus’ expression of grief was not a loud lament but rather an intimate display of grief over the reality of the consequences of sin. We get a glimpse of the humanity of Christ as He empathized with Mary and Martha. Of course, Jesus knew that He was about to raise Lazarus from the dead. “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” Isaiah 53:3 (NIV) “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin.” Heb 4:15 (NIV) “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” Phil 2:5-7 (NIV) Jesus knows grief by personal experience. Jesus knows what you are going through right now. You will never go where Jesus has not already been. Draw near to Him. Place your burdens upon Him. Trust Jesus with your life, your hurts, your disappointments, and your dreams.  Pursuing God, Stephen Trammell Executive Pastor