The Desire of Ages--68--In the Outer Court

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon and Sister Dorine!

Praise God that Jesus is willing and able to make us like Him in character! There is no greater joy than becoming like Christ and winning souls to Him!

“'If any man serve Me,' said Jesus, 'let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honor.' All who have borne with Jesus the cross of sacrifice will be sharers with Him of His glory. It was the joy of Christ in His humiliation and pain that His disciples should be glorified with Him. They are the fruit of His self-sacrifice. The outworking in them of His own character and spirit is His reward, and will be His joy throughout eternity. This joy they share with Him as the fruit of their labor and sacrifice is seen in other hearts and lives. They are workers together with Christ, and the Father will honor them as He honors His Son." {The Desire of Ages, page 624, paragraph 2}

[Richard Myers]

Amen my dear friends!   Christ came to transform us into His image (character). And not only did He come for us, but for the security of the universe.

     But the work of human redemption is not all that is accomplished by the cross. The love of God is manifested to the universe. The prince of this world is cast out. The accusations which Satan has brought against God are refuted. The reproach which he has cast upon heaven is forever removed. Angels as well as men are drawn to the Redeemer. "I, if I be lifted up from the earth," He said, "will draw all unto Me." 

[Beacon]

“'If any man serve Me,' said Jesus, 'let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honor."

"All who have borne with Jesus the cross of sacrifice will be sharers with Him of His glory."

"It was the joy of Christ in His humiliation and pain that His disciples should be glorified with Him."

"They are the fruit of His self-sacrifice."

"The outworking in them of His own character and spirit is His reward, and will be His joy throughout eternity."

"This joy they share with Him as the fruit of their labor and sacrifice is seen in other hearts and lives. They are workers together with Christ, and the Father will honor them as He honors His Son."[/color]

This will only be possible " IF WE"  have been actively sharing the Good News about the plan of salvation with others and have invited them to join God's Remnant Church. Are "WE" doing that??

Happy Sabbath once again to all who worship with Jesus on His Holy Sabbath day!!



 

[Philip T]

  The Greeks had heard of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Some supposed, and had circulated the report, that He had driven the priests and rulers from the temple, and that He was to take possession of David's throne, and reign as king of Israel. The Greeks longed to know the truth in regard to His mission. "We would see Jesus," they said. Their desire was granted. When the request was brought to Jesus, He was in that part of the temple from which all except Jews were excluded, but He went out to the Greeks in the outer court, and had a personal interview with them.

The love of God is for all, the message of God is for all, we see here another lesson from the sanctuary, the outer court where the Greeks were, is the world when looking at the sanctuary, so Jesus came to the world to save all peoples.  That is a lesson here, Gods love and saving grace in not just for one people but all peoples.

[Dorine]

"If any man serve Me," said Jesus, "let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honor." All who have borne with Jesus the cross of sacrifice will be sharers with Him of His glory. It was the joy of Christ in His humiliation and pain that His disciples should be glorified with Him. They are the fruit of His self-sacrifice. The outworking in them of His own character and spirit is His reward, and will be His joy throughout eternity. This joy they share with Him as the fruit of their labor and sacrifice is seen in other hearts and lives. They are workers together with Christ, and the Father will honor them as He honors His Son."

Keep our eyes fixed on Jesus and His promises. No matter how dark our journey is here we have an amazing future. We will live with Jesus throughout eternity because we have been faithful to Him in sharing in His self-sacrificing life here. In spite of present trials our hearts are full of peace and joy because we know Jesus as our personal Saviour and Friend. Keep the heavenly goal before us as we tread the last few steps we have left in this sinful world. We'll soon see our God face to face. What a day that will be. After meeting Jesus one of the first things I look forward to is seeking out my TRO family who I've never met in person but who have become very dear to me. HAPPY SABBATH

[Richard Myers]

Amen my dear brothers and sister.     

"Now is the judgment of this world," Christ continued; "now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all unto Me. This He said, signifying what death He should die." This is the crisis of the world. If I become the propitiation for the sins of men, the world will be lighted up. Satan's hold upon the souls of men will be broken. The defaced image of God will be restored in humanity, and a family of believing saints will finally inherit the heavenly home. This is the result of Christ's death. The Saviour is lost in contemplation of the scene of triumph called up before Him. He sees the cross, the cruel, ignominious cross, with all its attending horrors, blazing with glory.
     But the work of human redemption is not all that is accomplished by the cross. The love of God is manifested to the universe. The prince of this world is cast out. The accusations which Satan has brought against God are refuted. The reproach which he has cast upon heaven is forever removed. Angels as well as men are drawn to the Redeemer. "I, if I be lifted up from the earth," He said, "will draw all unto Me."

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Praise the Lord, Brother Beacon, Brother Philip, Sister Dorine and Brother Richard!

"The seed buried in the ground produces fruit, and in turn this is planted. Thus the harvest is multiplied. So the death of Christ on the cross of Calvary will bear fruit unto eternal life. The contemplation of this sacrifice will be the glory of those who, as the fruit of it, will live through the eternal ages." {The Desire of Ages, page 623, paragraph 3}

Heaven is a contemplation economy. We live in a fallen world, where the fallen economic systems are based on accumulating wealth and power, but the heavenly economy is different. It is based on contemplation of the infinite sacrifice of Christ, thus empowering us to be moved by different motives in our experience in this world; the converted soul is moved by God's love to fulfill the great commission to give the everlasting gospel to the world, not focusing on laying up treasures here! While the converted souls who reveal all of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing and live in obedience to all of God's commandments up to the light He has revealed do engage in business and make decisions relative to life here, they realize every decision needs to be made in reference to the eternal world and the purpose of knowing and loving God supremely and our neighbor as ourselves. The amazing thing is that our minds can be lifted above questions of commonplace life to things that are spiritual and eternal while we are simultaneously being good stewards of the time, talents and treasure entrusted to us in the building of a noble, all-round character in cooperation with the Holy Spirit. Even in heaven we will have homes, but that is secondary in focus to us enjoying being WITH GOD. In the new earth, we, too, will build the home God gives us the strength and capacity to build, while we also will enjoy the agricultural blessings of the fruits of the new earth. But we will ever keep before us the infinite love of God, and thus we will never allow God's love to be eclipsed by His gifts. Satan, in his rebellion, sought to make self the center, and thus allowed God's love to be less important to him. Sadly, the joy of divine communion that he once knew he traded for selfish thoughts that led to his ruin. Self cannot be the center, for there is no life-giving power in self. We are dependent on God, and only as we know and love Him in continual union and communion are we able to experience the true purpose of our existence. When we are truly converted by beholding the loveliness of Jesus and choose to fully surrender to Him, His gifts to us only deepen our appreciation of the sacrifice of Christ, moving us to value Him the more we contemplate Him. Praise God that our love, reverence and happiness will only deepen throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. Heaven begins now within the soul. Contemplate that and let His love move you beyond what you can ask or think is possible. The world needs to know this experience in the context of the Three Angels' Messages of Revelation 14:6-12!! 

"'If any man serve Me,' said Jesus, 'let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honor.' All who have borne with Jesus the cross of sacrifice will be sharers with Him of His glory. It was the joy of Christ in His humiliation and pain that His disciples should be glorified with Him. They are the fruit of His self-sacrifice. The outworking in them of His own character and spirit is His reward, and will be His joy throughout eternity. This joy they share with Him as the fruit of their labor and sacrifice is seen in other hearts and lives. They are workers together with Christ, and the Father will honor them as He honors His Son." {The Desire of Ages, page 624, paragraph 2}

To be honored and treated like Jesus? REALLY?! WOW!! We do not deserve it, but God will treat us as co-heirs with Christ forever, because we have become like Him in mind and character, uniquely revealing the individuality that He designed us to have that reflects His loveliness in a way that no other being in the entire universe has. Oh, let us not only value Jesus, but also value the worth of our own souls and the souls of others! Each of us has a value that is infinite, for an infinite price has been paid for us! Also, an infinite capacity of development is possible to each of us as we contemplate Christ's sacrifice which so clearly reveals God's infinite love! Praise the Lord! May you live in an overflow of God's love today!

[Beacon]

"The grain of wheat that preserves its own life can produce no fruit. It abides alone".

"Christ could, if He chose, save Himself from death."

"But should He do this, He must abide alone."

"He could bring no sons and daughters to God."

"Only by yielding up His life could He impart life to humanity."

"Only by falling into the ground to die could He become the seed of that vast harvest,--the great multitude that out of every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, are redeemed to God."

How Great is the Love of God.?? To what great lengths did Jesus go to give you and I an opportunity to have Eternal  Life!! What will "OUR" response be to such "Amazing Grace.??

===========================

1
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,
  That saved a wretch; like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
  Was blind, but now I see.
2
’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
  And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
  The hour I first believed!
3
The Lord hath promised good to me,
  His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be
  As long as life endures.
4
When we’ve been there ten thousand years,
  Bright shining as the sun,
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise
  Than when we first begun.

Lyrics:John Newton (1725-1807)
Music:Traditional American melody

[Pastor Sean Brizendine]

Amen, Brother Beacon!

What does it mean to serve God?

"'If any man serve Me,' said Jesus, 'let him follow Me; and where I am, there shall also My servant be: if any man serve Me, him will My Father honor.' All who have borne with Jesus the cross of sacrifice will be sharers with Him of His glory. It was the joy of Christ in His humiliation and pain that His disciples should be glorified with Him. They are the fruit of His self-sacrifice. The outworking in them of His own character and spirit is His reward, and will be His joy throughout eternity. This joy they share with Him as the fruit of their labor and sacrifice is seen in other hearts and lives. They are workers together with Christ, and the Father will honor them as He honors His Son." {The Desire of Ages, page 624, paragraph 2}

Selfless service is seen in the life of Jesus from the manger to Calvary. We see God's love expressed in every word, action and purpose. God does not live for Himself; He lives to bless others, and the entire universe reveals the way God blesses and sustains life because He is the ultimate Lover. Satan has sought to live to serve self, but his kingdom leads to death. We can choose to accept the gift of salvation making us partakers of the divine nature to overcome self-serving and live to serve and bless the Lord and others! He is inviting us to yoke up with Him so His character will flow forth from our lives like a living current! All of the fruits of the Spirit without one missing are the vital evidence of a converted union and communion experience with Jesus! Gladly will we be enabled to obey God from a new heart that delights to do His will!

[Dorine]

"The seed buried in the ground produces fruit, and in turn this is planted. Thus the harvest is multiplied. So the death of Christ on the cross of Calvary will bear fruit unto eternal life. The contemplation of this sacrifice will be the glory of those who, as the fruit of it, will live through the eternal ages.      
The grain of wheat that preserves its own life can produce no fruit. It abides alone. Christ could, if He chose, save Himself from death. But should He do this, He must abide alone. He could bring no sons and daughters to God. Only by yielding up His life could He impart life to humanity. Only by falling into the ground to die could He become the seed of that vast harvest,--the great multitude that out of every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, are redeemed to God.     
With this truth Christ connects the lesson of self-sacrifice that all should learn: "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal." All who would bring forth fruit as workers together with Christ must first fall into the ground and die. The life must be cast into the furrow of the world's need. Self-love, self-interest, must perish. And the law of self-sacrifice is the law of self-preservation. The husbandman preserves his grain by casting it away. So in human life. To give is to live. The life that will be preserved is the life that is freely given in service to God and man. Those who for Christ's sake sacrifice their life in this world will keep it unto life eternal."

Without Christ in the heart our best intentions are selfish. May these truths that show us our great need of Christ sink deep within our hearts and minds. May the love of Jesus motivate our every thought word and action so that our lives will be laden with the beautiful fruit of the Spirit.

[JimB]

Amen Dorine and pastor Sean! Without Christ every decision we make will be tainted with selfishness. From which way to go to work in the morning to how we treat our fellow brethren at church.

And sometimes we need to sit back and look at the larger picture. Yes, Christ has focused all of Heaven's energies at saving this lost world and each of individually and as brother Beacon shared.... Amazing Grace!!! Indeed. However, there is more at stake than us. Sometimes it helps focus better when we step back and look at the bigger picture. The universe is saved through saving this quarantined planet.

But the work of human redemption is not all that is accomplished by the cross. The love of God is manifested to the universe. The prince of this world is cast out. The accusations which Satan has brought against God are refuted. The reproach which he has cast upon heaven is forever removed. Angels as well as men are drawn to the Redeemer. "I, if I be lifted up from the earth," He said, "will draw all unto Me."

[Richard Myers]

My dear brothers and sisters! It just keeps getting better and better! And, as Brother Jim has shared, it is more than our salvation. The wisdom of God is past our understanding, but we can get glimpses of His righteousness and wisdom from time to time. As we study the Word, we find that God has entrusted to His church a most wonderful revelation of just how wise He is. He gives His creation free will to do as they (we) like. We see that the creature He made more like Himself was the one through whom sin came upon not only us, but upon the universe. Satan had no one to lead him astray, he chose to rebel against God and led millions of angels to perdition. And they have created havoc down here and led billions away from our loving God. How does God feel about sin? He is going to put an end to it.

The process of cleaning up Satan's mess takes time. But, to God a thousand years is as a day. So we can say the next thousand years will go by quickly. And at the end of the next thousand years, there will be no more sin and all of God's creatures will never ever sin. How do we know? Nahum tells us "affliction shall not rise up the second time." 1:9. The great question is how can God leave all with free will and promise there will be no more sin?

We are the lesson book of the universe. It is what happens down here that guarantees there will be an end to sin. It is not force that  puts and end to sin, but the love of God. Creation has seen the results of sin with the suffering and death of Christ. But, there is one more thing that has to happen to set the universe on a secure basis. Have you ever wondered why it is that the 144,000 who could be translated when probation closes,  but instead go through a time of trouble such as never was? And then have a song to sing that none other have? They will visit the worlds in the universe to sing this song. As they sing, the angels fold their wings for they have not the experience. What is this power that transforms sinners into saints and keeps the universe safe for eternity? Grace, God's wonderful grace.

If the last living group of Christians can cease sinning while living in fallen flesh and God allows Satan to do whatever he wants to them, then the universe has proof that it is possible to not sin. If the last generation, the most sinful generation, the short ones, if they can overcome sin in fallen flesh, through the grace of God, then all living in holy flesh in a world of love, joy, and peace will never choose to sin.

But the work of human redemption is not all that is accomplished by the cross. The love of God is manifested to the universe. The prince of this world is cast out. The accusations which Satan has brought against God are refuted. The reproach which he has cast upon heaven is forever removed. Angels as well as men are drawn to the Redeemer. "I, if I be lifted up from the earth," He said, "will draw all unto Me."