March 13th, 2023
by Steve Marshall
by Steve Marshall
December 18, 2020
Church Family: In the Christmas story we are continuously reminded that God has sent us a Savior. This is the celebration of every Christmas and every day. A Savior has come to save us and redeem us! What a great and glorious gift. The gift that keeps on giving for eternity. Listen to those in the Christmas story praising God for a Savior who brings salvation:
Mary’s song of praise sings, “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”
Zechariah’s song as He was filled with the Spirit says, “God has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David.”
An angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds and tells them that, “For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
When Jesus was presented in the Temple, the righteous and devout man, Simeon, blesses God and says, “for my eyes have seen Your salvation.”
But what has the Son of God saved us from? Tribulation? No. Hardships? No. Persecution? No. Famine? No. Sword? No. Job loss? No. Financial hardships? No. COVID? No. Government mandates? No. The list of earthly tribulations go on and on. The great news is that we are saved from something much worse than anything we experience on earth. The incarnation of the Son of God, our Savior, His life, His suffering and His death saves us from the wrath of God (Romans 5:9) that is upon us because of our sin. He is Salvation from our punishment of sin, which is death and the wrath of God! This means that, as believers, we are promised that whatever suffering we endure on this earth it is never God’s judgment or wrath. All earthly suffering is only to make us more like Him, to let go of sin, to cling to Him, to run to Him, to trust Him more fully. This promise is for believers only. If you are not a believer, run to Christ!
Included in the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ from the wrath of God is the promise of God in Revelation 7:3, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” Church, this is news that destroys all anxiety and worry! Through the work of Jesus Christ, God has sealed all of His followers with the gift of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13). This seal of the Holy Spirit marks us out as belonging to God. With this sealing by God with His Holy Spirit comes perfect protection and preservation in faith no matter how much tribulation or suffering, now or in the future, that we face during the six seal judgments of Revelation 6. Let Christmas also be a reminder of the gift of God’s ownership of us through His stealing of us.
The sealing of God is His way of saying, “You are mine! I will never let you go! I will sustain you and protect you and preserve you in faith no matter what the enemy may attempt to do to you, yesterday, today or tomorrow!” The sealing of Christ's followers is the decree of God declaring that we are righteous and that we are saved from the judgment of God in this world.
Delight this Christmas in God’s glorious gift to believers through Jesus Christ, that God has decisively, once and for all, saved us from His wrath and that He strengthens our faith so that the trials through which we pass through in the life will not ever separate us from Him but only refine and purify our commitment to Him. Engage your soul in magnifying the Lord as your Savior, a Horn of Salvation. Nothing will befall you! Nothing! Merry Christmas!
Revelation 7:2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God...
This Sunday we will be meeting in person at the church building if you would like to join us in person at 10am. And for those who will be staying at home, we will be live-streaming on our Grace Community Church Topsail YouTube Channel. Push the blue link. We can also be found at https://www.gracetopsail.com/
I look forward to worshipping the Lion and the Lamb, Jesus Christ, with you Sunday. - Steve
Mary’s song of praise sings, “My soul magnifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”
Zechariah’s song as He was filled with the Spirit says, “God has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David.”
An angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds and tells them that, “For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.”
When Jesus was presented in the Temple, the righteous and devout man, Simeon, blesses God and says, “for my eyes have seen Your salvation.”
But what has the Son of God saved us from? Tribulation? No. Hardships? No. Persecution? No. Famine? No. Sword? No. Job loss? No. Financial hardships? No. COVID? No. Government mandates? No. The list of earthly tribulations go on and on. The great news is that we are saved from something much worse than anything we experience on earth. The incarnation of the Son of God, our Savior, His life, His suffering and His death saves us from the wrath of God (Romans 5:9) that is upon us because of our sin. He is Salvation from our punishment of sin, which is death and the wrath of God! This means that, as believers, we are promised that whatever suffering we endure on this earth it is never God’s judgment or wrath. All earthly suffering is only to make us more like Him, to let go of sin, to cling to Him, to run to Him, to trust Him more fully. This promise is for believers only. If you are not a believer, run to Christ!
Included in the gift of salvation in Jesus Christ from the wrath of God is the promise of God in Revelation 7:3, "Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees, until we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.” Church, this is news that destroys all anxiety and worry! Through the work of Jesus Christ, God has sealed all of His followers with the gift of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13). This seal of the Holy Spirit marks us out as belonging to God. With this sealing by God with His Holy Spirit comes perfect protection and preservation in faith no matter how much tribulation or suffering, now or in the future, that we face during the six seal judgments of Revelation 6. Let Christmas also be a reminder of the gift of God’s ownership of us through His stealing of us.
The sealing of God is His way of saying, “You are mine! I will never let you go! I will sustain you and protect you and preserve you in faith no matter what the enemy may attempt to do to you, yesterday, today or tomorrow!” The sealing of Christ's followers is the decree of God declaring that we are righteous and that we are saved from the judgment of God in this world.
Delight this Christmas in God’s glorious gift to believers through Jesus Christ, that God has decisively, once and for all, saved us from His wrath and that He strengthens our faith so that the trials through which we pass through in the life will not ever separate us from Him but only refine and purify our commitment to Him. Engage your soul in magnifying the Lord as your Savior, a Horn of Salvation. Nothing will befall you! Nothing! Merry Christmas!
Revelation 7:2 Then I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, with the seal of the living God...
This Sunday we will be meeting in person at the church building if you would like to join us in person at 10am. And for those who will be staying at home, we will be live-streaming on our Grace Community Church Topsail YouTube Channel. Push the blue link. We can also be found at https://www.gracetopsail.com/
I look forward to worshipping the Lion and the Lamb, Jesus Christ, with you Sunday. - Steve
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