A love so deep...

Church: Praise Fellowship SDA

Location: South Bend, IN

Song: We Cry Holy He is the Lamb

Speaker: Pastor Irwin Larrier

Key text: Is. 53:1-12 and Matthew 24

Sermon points that I thought were Key:

Tsunami was used to illustrate the troubles that build up in our lives then come crashing down on our families, church communities, and just our lives period.

God doesn't just order our steps. God in His mercy packed my hand bag and put in it my pad of paper so that I could take notes at church then gave me enough presence of mind to actually have the desire to come to church then to not just come to church but to attempt to get something from the service.

We as a church have forgotten the Man Jesus and who He is to us and our Salvation.

Is. 53:1-Who would believe?

Jesus was willing to suffer for you and I.

We need to understand and study what Jesus actually experienced when He was going through His darkest days of tribulation for my sins and yours.

Character Assassination: What Jesus experienced from the entire Jewish Community and most importantly His Family and Friends to killed the Character of Jesus.

*This concept was especially meaningful for me because I'm often so consumed with what others believe and perceive of me in regards to my relationship with God. I feel this way because for so many years I tried to live according to what was EXPECTED or rather Demanded of me in regards to my lifestyle. I refuse to do anything that isn't authentic. Meaning if I wear my ear rings during the week then I will wear them to church or where ever. I feel this way because I have finally come to grips with the concept that my church family can't put me in Hell. I finally understand that Salvation is a GIFT from God that I can choose to accept. I no longer have to seek the approval of my family, church members, or church leadership. However, because I am attempting to die to self that requires some pain. With any growth there is pain that comes along with that change. For the first time since leaving Andrews University I didn't wear any ear rings to church. This was very significant for me because I am a rebel by nature. I had to come to grips with the fact that my musical talents are a gift from God. Therefore I have to put aside self for the purpose of ministry. WOW what a concept to actually apply to my life. I realized that while my ear rings might be cute they could be a stumbling block for the youth being that some of the young women look up to me. BUT I am a working progress and I embrace my Spiritual Journey! The bible reads: "What God has begun in Me, He is FAITHFUL and Just to complete." Therefore, there's no since in me trying to change me! Paul says in Roman's that He dies daily. Well daily isn't enough for me I need to die moment by moment because all it takes is a moment for me to walk off of the "road less traveled."

*Being that I have been touched with CHARACTER Assassination from the CHURCH, my FAMILY, and others well you might be able to understand why this concept really spoke to me. Simply put, if Jesus Himself was called a lier and all of the above who am I to expect different for myself being the lowly wretch that that I am according to the words of Paul in the Bible.

To be fare, there have been times that I did live totally contrary to what I knew was right BUT now that I am trying to live according to what I know the DEVIL uses members of my family and to be honest church members to come to tell me things like, "Why are you wearing that BRIGHT lipstick to church, or why is your nail polish so Bright, or why are the hills of your shoes so high, or why is your skirt so tight." Rather than saying, "Good morning sister Happy Sabbath, I'm glad that you made it to church this sabbath." In my experience, people would rather me FAKE my Christianity and relationship with God in regards to my appearance than being concerned with my soul salvation and the the work that the Holy Spirit is doing on my heart.

-Read Mark 14:32-35

When we understand that when facing hardships that Jesus craved the support of His closest friends the 12 disciples. Then understand that they slept rather than prayed then I can start to understand why Jesus can truly understand my inner pain and struggle as a Christian living in 2010. Jesus really understands what it means to be CUT off from one's family or to be shunned because of past transgressions.

Although Jesus Himself never sinned like me and all of Human Kind I can find comfort in the fact that His love for me is so great that He died for me while I was YET a sinner! Wow that bible text applies to me!

John 3:16-17: I put my name in the text so that I could see the significance of what God did and is still doing on my behalf!

For God so LOVED (Natasha) that He gave His only Begotten Son. That who so ever believes Him should not parish but have ever lasting life! For God sent not His Son to condemn (Natasha) but that she might be saved!

If we as Christians really believe that Jesus took our place on the cross then our lives should reflect the acceptance of this truth and the evidence should be seen in our lifestyles.

No amount of Human Blood could have saved us from Sin and damnation its ONLY the BLOOD of Jesus that makes Salvation possible and attainable.

Every time we sin we separate ourselves from God but then the BLOOD of Jesus comes to cover us and then God can accept us. This is the system that was created and put into place for you and I.

Barabbas-Modern Day Terrorist

Had Barabbas lived in this day and age he would be like a Terrorist.

There are times God had to slap us to get us out of the way so that He can save us.

There is no since in punishing a sinner because we already feel like we are unworthy of anything good. When you start to truly understand the context of what was truly happening in the familiar Bible story of Jesus and Barrabbas then and only then will we begin to understand what Christ actually did for you and I. The fact is Barabbas knew that he was guilty however when the crowed kept saying

Crucify Him he might have thought that the crowd was talking about him then he realized they were talking about Jesus. Wow...

Jesus for you and I was betrayed by family and friends. Jesus for you and I was falsely accused, beaten with in an inch of His life, wiped, and encountered other physical torment for you and I. But it was the spiritual separation that truly hurt the heart of Jesus. During His entire life He had cultivated a CLOSE bond with is Father (Abba) our God. But because He took on our Sin He for the first time in His life experienced the separation that happens when we choose sin. Jesus became SIN for you and I and gave Himself totally for our sins so that we could have the opportunity to choose to give our lives over to God. Then God in His mercy allows the Blood of Jesus to cover our sins so that we can be called the children of God and accept the gift of salvation made possible only through the BLOOD of Jesus. 

*Morality won't save us ONLY our RELATIONSHIP with God.

Salvation is God's thought it did not Originate with us.

God can see our need for a Savior and that's why He reaches out to us with His Son Jesus and asks us will we accept the sacrifice of my Son for your sins. Or will you continue to reject my Son's BLOOD for your sins. How long will you reject me and the gift of life, abundance, peace, and happiness, that comes only through accepting?

All we need to do is to choose Jesus and step into the grace because God identifies with our sin condition.

*Read John 3:16-17 Again*

Jesus came down to FIX the SIN problem.

This is my prayer: God grant me the grace to endure until you bring me though to my breakthrough. -Amen

May God bless all who take the time to read this. Pass this along to your friends and I pray that everyone who reads this will feel what I felt when I was typing it this morning. Again, all comments and feedback are appreciated. Thanks for reading!