Sermon Central
-
A Product Of Jesus Christ.
Contributed by Howard Strickland on Jul 3, 2022 (message contributor)
Summary: I'm in His hands. Can you say that? What past shame or guilt is keeping you from being the person God created you to be? Why do you believe the lie that you are defined by your past?
A Product Of Jesus Christ.
What past shame or guilt is keeping you from being the person God created you to be? Why do you believe the lie that you are defined by your past?
1 Peter 1:18-19AMP For you know that you were not redeemed from your useless [spiritually unproductive] way of life inherited [by tradition] from your forefathers with perishable things like silver and gold, 19 but [you were actually purchased] with precious blood, like that of a [sacrificial] lamb unblemished and spotless, the priceless blood of Christ.
Does your past determine who you are today? Are you still chained to your past? Can you escape the past by ignoring or denying it?
It is true that we can't escape the natural consequences of our past, but our experiences do not keep us from being the people God created us to be.
Because of our faith in the gospel, God’s word, the-(Good News), we have been forgiven, and cleansed of all unrighteousness.
The apostle Paul writes in, 1 Corinthians 1:30NIV It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
How important is it for us to have knowledge that is smothered with experience, that our Lord Jesus has us?
We’re going to look more at our text, but first, Jesus states in, John 10:29AMP My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater and mightier than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
Who is them Jesus is referring to?
Author Henri Nouwen liked to give this visual illustration:
I hold out my hands with a gentle but strong cuff. My hands are prepared to hold a bird. I close my hands, I crush and kill the bird.
I fully open my hands, the bird falls to its death. And then he would say, An intimate place is like my cupped hand, neither totally open, nor totally closed. It is the space where growth can take place.
Listen, you have to become firm when it comes to your personal salvation? You have to know that you’re born again. Born from above! P.H
Going back to our text, 1 Peter 1:18TPT For you know that your lives were ransomed once and for all from the empty and futile way of life handed down from generation to generation. It was not a ransom payment of silver and gold, which eventually perishes,
I’m sorry, but our fathers, nor our forefathers had what it took to redeem us. Neither will silver or gold. Money will never redeem you. PH
1 Peter 1:19TPT but the precious blood of Christ—who like a spotless, unblemished lamb was sacrificed for us.
You could say, “The blood of Jesus saved me!” The unblemished Lamb was sacrificed for me!
In the hollow of God's hand, we are in a place of, Intimacy. Growth. Security. I am eternally secure in the hollow of His hand. P.H
God will neither crush us, nor let us fall abandoned.
Psalm 27:10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.
Isaiah 41:10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
Psalm 63:8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
Isaiah 46:4 I will be your God throughout your lifetime – until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.
No one, not the devil, nor our enemies–can take us out of Jesus’ hand. In the intimacy of His presence, we need not be afraid. PH
Psalm 139:10 Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.
Psalm 73:23 Yet I still belong to you; you hold my right hand.
What is it with God’s right hand? The term, "God’s right hand" in prophecy refers to the Messiah to whom is given the power and authority to subdue His enemies.
You could say, When Jesus rescues you, “His power and authority rescued or delivered.”
Ephesians 1:19–21ESV and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.
Jesus has His right hand out for you, and He always grips you with your right hand. Notice, “Gripping you by the right hand signifies your new position, so Jesus’ position is now your position!” P.H
