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Today is Sunday November 8, 2009 and we are completing our studies in the book of John, please read chapters 19-21 in your Bible or Click Here to read them http://www.readytofollow.com/bible-november-8

Today's Message: His Grace is Sufficient
Fear causes many to withdraw from following Christ, but Jesus knows our sorrows, our sufferings, and our fears and we can be certain that His grace is sufficient, regardless of circumstances Jesus forgives and believes in us as we believe in Him.

As Jesus was literally being sentenced to death by the chief priests (although they had no authority to do that), His disciples, fearing for their lives scattered, leaving Jesus to go through all that by Himself. “When the chief priests therefore and officers saw him, they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him. The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he was the more afraid; And went again into the judgment hall, and saith unto Jesus, Whence art thou? But Jesus gave him no answer. Then saith Pilate unto him, Speakest thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee? Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.” - John 19:6-13. Pilate knew that the chief priests had no cause to have Jesus crucified, but no matter what he said to them they refused and because of their influence and pressuring him to he released Jesus to them.

You can only imagine what Jesus was thinking as He saw His family and disciples (beyond the twelve) watching Him as He was dying on the cross and the soldiers were selling His clothes. I know that if I were being tortured and put to death I would not want my family around to watch me, but regardless of what He felt He was at peace because He knew that everything would come to pass and that Scripture would be fulfilled and He would prevail. “Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” - John 19:23-30. The disciple mentioned here is John, the word behold means to look at, Jesus wanted His mother to see that He was accomplishing what Scripture had said. Acceptance with God was obtained when the cry, “It is done” triumphantly rang from the cross on Calvary. From this follows the foundation of faith for all those united to Christ in His death.

The first day of the week dawned peacefully on Joseph of Arimathea's new garden tomb. The Savior arose and with His Resurrection dawned a new and victorious day for the human race. “The first day of the week cometh Mary Magdalene early, when it was yet dark, unto the sepulchre, and seeth the stone taken away from the sepulchre...........But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain............Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away. Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master. Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God. Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the LORD, and that he had spoken these things unto her. Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.” - John 20:1.11,12,15-19. Mary Magdalene came to the disciples and gave them the good news. She told them what Jesus had told her to say, and what she had seen with her own eyes. From this moment on, Christianity became a reality. We do not serve a dead Jesus, but a risen Jesus Christ, the Sacrificial Lamb that paid the full price to ransom our souls from the sentence of death that was placed upon mankind. Jesus' God and Father is now our God and Father, and the Power of God and His Spirit is now our Spirit of Comfort. It is also important that we remember that Jesus body was transfigured, and that the body of Jesus was not left in the tomb. Jesus body did not see corruption and decay, so there was no flesh body left behind to allow Satan's children to attack the followers of Christ with. Now, every time a flesh body dies, the soul of those whom have accepted Christ into their lives goes back to the Father that gave it and the flesh body returns to the earth and decays into the elements that it is composed of.

Many Christians become defeated because of a sin or doubt, some may fear that Jesus may condemn instead of comfort, or that they may not be good enough, or some even fear what a hostile world will say or do to them for accepting Jesus into their lives. Without question, the Lord has a perfect plan and beyond our sorrows or failures, He has provided a glorious resurrection for all who will let Him be Lord of their lives. What if the disciples had looked at their failures and then gone back to their fishing? It undoubtedly was a financially secure occupation. Peter had strongly denied Him, and all had forsaken Him in His sufferings. But the disciples didn't give up and Jesus did not give up on them. He desired to be with them and knew that they desired to be with them. Although we all have failed (much more than once), Christians can rejoice today as ever fear, every sorrow will soon come to pass, and every sin forgiven by a great and mighty Jesus who saves all who come to Him. Praise God!

Have a wonderful and blessed day/night
God Bless You,
Christina

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