ADD - Blessed

The Christian Disciple is blessed!

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Paul to the church in Rome, and in Chapter 4 he talks about Abraham's journey into faith and of his faith.  Now in Romans 4v22-25, Paul writes: "This is why "it was credited to him as righteousness." The words "it was credited to him" were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness-for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification." Today I want to take us briefly through Romans 5vv1-11 and show that as Christian Disciples, we are blessed in seven ways because of Jesus Christ and the work He did on the cross. 1. We have peace with God. Romans5:1 "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ", God in His great mercy, has declared peace to all those who accept salvation through Jesus' death on the Cross. 'Mercy & truth are joined, righteousness and peace have kissed each other" Psalm 85:10 2. We have access to God. Romans5:2a "through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand." When Jesus died, He tore the veil (Luke 23:45) and broke down the wall (Ephesians 2:14). As Christians, we have immediate access to God, through our faith in Jesus Christ.  No other religion or faith can say that! 3. We have a glorious hope. Romans5:2b "And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God." Peace with God takes care of the past - He no longer holds our sins against us. Access to God takes care of the present - we can come to Him whenever we desire. A glorious hope takes care of our future - all Christians will one day share in His glory. 4. We develop Christian character. Romans5: 3-4 "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope." Being justified is no escape from the sufferings and trials in this world, but for the believer, suffering and trials are for our own good (Romans 8:28).  We bring them on ourselves by our own foolishness and sin. We endure for the sake of the Gospel.  Suffering develops our patience and perseverance; patience and perseverance grows our character, and through character we have a glorious hope. 5. We have God's love within us. Romans5:5-8 "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." The love of God is poured into our hearts. We experience love, peace and joy. This inner experience of this love is through the Holy Spirit who sustains us as we go through sufferings. Faith, hope and love all combine to give those who love God, the patience to endure the trials of life. 6. We have salvation from future wrath. Romans5:9-10 "Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!  For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!" He will keep on saving us, now that we love Him. We need strength to endure suffering and persecution, remembering that he who stands firm in faith, will in the end be saved. 7. We have reconciliation with God. Romans5:11. "Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation." We have fellowship with God, because we are reconciled with Him because of Jesus' death on the cross. God in His mercy, sent Jesus as a peacemaker, that men may return to fellowship with Him. We are to rejoice in our present enjoyment of reconciliation with God (Romans 5:1b,10), and rejoice that all this comes through Jesus, our Lord and Saviour. The only way to be with God is through Jesus - that is the Gospel message of good news.  Fellowship with God is only because of the cross of Jesus.  There is no other way to having life in God but through the cross of Jesus Christ!  Jesus' death on the cross signifies that God was willing to suffer so that we may have life in him, if we choose it.  That is why it is so important we believe that Jesus was both fully human and fully God!  I could never in a million lifetimes be a Buddhist worshipping in a temple with an impassive statue of the Buddha, which is aloof from all suffering.  The God we serve as Christian Disciples knows suffering intimately.  The cross is where God suffered and died.  As Christian Disciples we are blessed through the cross of Jesus Christ.  Through Jesus, we have these seven blessings: peace; access; hope; transformation; indwelling love; salvation and reconciliation! What are we to do with these blessings?  We are to tell others and a good way to do that is to live a life worthy of these blessings so that people, who are not Christian, can ask the reason you have such hope!  If you give them no reason to ask, they probably won't! These 7 blessings show how certain salvation is in and through Jesus Christ, for those who choose it.  As Christian Disciples we are blessed, and we are blessed to be a blessing to others! For more to think about, please do read for yourself Romans 6:1-14 and ask yourself the following two questions.  Why not share your answers with your spouse or a close friend or two, so that you can discuss and pray over any issues together. Q1 - What areas of my life have been transformed since I became a Christian Disciple? Q2 - What has happened in my life that will get people to ask me for the reason I have hope? Q3 - Who can I pray for, so that opportunity will arise?

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