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All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance-- an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. 1 Peter 1:3 New Living Translation
Two stories meet at the cross, stories that are explored in the Bible.
The first narrative is Jesus' story. His story began long before he entered the city gates of Jerusalem. Jesus' story began in the womb of a virgin. His story is about temptation, signs, healing, controversy and death.
The second narrative is our story. This is our journey with Jesus to his cross. Our story also began in a womb. Our story is about temptation, signs, healing, controversy and death.
The cross melds these two stories into one narrative. The story of the cross is about what Jesus did for us and for all humanity.
However, we're bombard by all sorts of other stories, and as we listen to these stories it's easy to become disconnected from the message of the cross. It's easy to abandon the cross and unite with other ways of living. We hear stories about how we're suppose to conquer, heal, and stand up for ourselves. We're told to separate ourselves from what Jesus has done for us.
Yet, Peter speaks of the resurrection as the power that holds us to the story of the cross even when other voices tell us to abandon it. The resurrection is God's story of an inheritance that will never fade, waiting for us in the presence of the Lamb who was slain and lives.
This week we will walk with Jesus from his birth to his death. And when we reach the cross we will proclaim, This is it! This is life!
The first narrative is Jesus' story. His story began long before he entered the city gates of Jerusalem. Jesus' story began in the womb of a virgin. His story is about temptation, signs, healing, controversy and death.
The second narrative is our story. This is our journey with Jesus to his cross. Our story also began in a womb. Our story is about temptation, signs, healing, controversy and death.
The cross melds these two stories into one narrative. The story of the cross is about what Jesus did for us and for all humanity.
However, we're bombard by all sorts of other stories, and as we listen to these stories it's easy to become disconnected from the message of the cross. It's easy to abandon the cross and unite with other ways of living. We hear stories about how we're suppose to conquer, heal, and stand up for ourselves. We're told to separate ourselves from what Jesus has done for us.
Yet, Peter speaks of the resurrection as the power that holds us to the story of the cross even when other voices tell us to abandon it. The resurrection is God's story of an inheritance that will never fade, waiting for us in the presence of the Lamb who was slain and lives.
This week we will walk with Jesus from his birth to his death. And when we reach the cross we will proclaim, This is it! This is life!
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You can listen to the Praying With the Eyes broadcast on The iB Network Internet radio station every Sunday at 8:00 & 11:30 am, as well as, 1:00 & 8:00 pm MST (www.ibnetwork.us). You can also listen to the show using the Tunin app on your mobile device.
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Text and Photographs ©Copyright 2012-2015 Douglas P. Brauner. ARR.
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