August 20, 2020
FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:
FIRST, THE WILDERNESS OF TEMPTATION, GETHSEMANE, THEN CALVARY (a wilderness, a garden, then a lonely hill)
“Satan had once challenged God, accusing [the patriarch] Job for serving Him for ULTERIOR [self-serving, self-promoting] motives. ‘Doth Job serve God for nought (nothing)?’ he had sneeringly asked.
Job 1:9.
“To show the falsity of Satan’s ACCUSATIONS, he was permitted [by God] to test Job. Satan applies every possible torture, but Job did not sin. At last Satan retired defeated. Job had STOOD THE TEST and proved Satan’s accusation false. ‘Though He slay me yet will I TRUST Him,’ he exclaimed. Job 13:15.”
“Through a similar test Christ must pass. He must be tested as Job was tested, only MORE severely. And He was so tested! GETHSEMANE and GOLGOTHA bear witness to both the severity and the outcome of the test. To all appearances Christ [died] and went into the grave FORSAKEN OF GOD AND MAN. ‘He trod the winepress alone.’ Hear these words:
“The Savior could not see beyond the portals of the tomb. Hope did not present to Him His coming forth from the grave a conqueror, or tell Him of the Father’s acceptance of the sacrifice. He feared that sin was so OFFENSIVE to God hat their separation was to be eternal. Christ felt the ANGUISH [as in ‘the weeping and gnashing of teeth’] which the [impenitent, hard-hearted, rebellious] sinner will feel when MERCY SHALL NO LONGER PLEAD for the guilty race. It was the sense of SIN, bringing the wrath of the Father upon Him as man’s SUBSTITUTE, that made the ‘cup He drank so bitter,’ and broke the heart of the Son of God.” Desire of Ages, p. 735.”
However, it is not to be supposed that Christ died with a sense of defeat. He died a victor!
“Amid the awful darkness, apparently forsaken of God, Christ had drained the last dregs in the cup of human woe. In those dreadful hours He had RELIED upon the evidence of His Father’s acceptance HERETOFORE given Him [at His baptism by the Jordan]. He was acquainted with the CHARACTER of His Father: He understood His JUSTICE, His MERCY, and His great LOVE. By FAITH He rested in Him whom it had EVER BEEN HIS JOY TO OBEY.”
“And as in submission He committed Himself to God, the sense of the loss of His Father’s favor was withdrawn. BY FAITH CHRIST WAS A VICTOR.’ Ibid, p. 756.” The Book of Hebrews, pp. 57, 58.
“Them Jesus said to them ALL, If anyone DESIRES to come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross DAILY [that is, one day a time] and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will LOSE it, but whosoever loses his life for My sake will SAVE it.” Luke 9: 23, 24, NKJV (See verses 25, 26 for what else JESUS said).
Ponder these things in your hearts as the disciples, the apostles and the faithful of the ages since then have done, to their eternal salvation. God bless all, NMF