Jesus!

In an attempt to start catching up on how behind I am in my daily Bible reading, I jumped back into it this morning and, after some Leviticus, found myself in the first chapter of Mark.  We've been studying Mark in our Community Group this year, and every week we're baffled a little more by Jesus.  In the first chapter of his gospel, Mark provides these snapshots of Jesus:

• His coming is prophesied
• He's baptized
• He's tempted (physically and spiritually)
• He proclaims that God's kingdom is near
• He calls
• He exorcises a demon
• He heals
• He prays
• He preaches

My conclusion: This man came on the scene, and it was a BIG DEAL!  He's a man the likes of which the earth has never seen.

Later in scripture, He's described like this:

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. 

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation — if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

This passage offers us not only a description of Jesus, who He is and what He's done, but also what it means for our lives if we put our faith in Him.  ONCE we were alienated from God, His enemies, BUT NOW because of Jesus, we've been reconciled to God.

This is the firm foundation upon which you, dear Christian, can and must stand every day.  We never escape our need for this good news, not one single moment of any day!  Be encouraged today, if you have placed your faith in Christ, you have the hope offered only by the gospel: you have died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  Colossians 3:3

Period.

Or EXCLAMATION!

Yes, today, let's live as those whose lives are defined by an exclamation point, because of what GOD has done by His SPIRIT through his Son JESUS!

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life! For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him!