Archive for the ‘Questions’ Tag
How to Ask God Meaningful Questions and Get Meaningful Answers!
Filed under: Bible, By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Gospel, Humor, Love, Prayer, Relationships, Scripture Paraphrases, Trinity, Uncategorized, Worship | Tags: Answers, Bible, Christian Living, Christianity, god the father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Son, Good Questions, Gospel, Grace, Incarnation, Jesus, Life Purpose, Love, Meaning, Meaningful Communication, Pastor Tim, Purpose, Questions, Questions and Answers, Relationships, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, Vicarious humanity of Christ, Worship
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As you’re encountered personally by God, Father, Son and Spirit, there’s no question that He loves to ask and/or stir up questions! UNDERSTATEMENT! (See God personally, or see him speaking and acting in the scriptures from Genesis to maps! Ha!)
In one sense, it probably appears crazy to even approach this subject. After all, when approaching any human authority there is an “intimidation factor” in questioning or answering them. You often think before asking: “Am I worth listening to?”, “Have I earned enough position power to ask this question without getting fired?” You often think before answering questions: “Is he REALLY asking me a question he wants me to answer or is he actually encouraging me to shut up and listen?”, “Is she asking because she really doesn’t know or is this a trap?” “Am I going to reveal that I’m smart, or dumb, or that I have completely forgotten what I promised to write down and remember (Gulp!)?”, etc.
Can you identify?! hahaha… I can!
As I continue to relate to Jesus and the God Revealed in Him, I’m beginning to get clued in a little more about asking him meaningful questions and receiving his meaningful answers.
Let’s face it. It seems I must ask questions! That’s simply how relationship works. Unless I get to know the other, I can’t get to know the other. Good questions are ways I open myself in love to the other, to receive from them in self-giving, and encourage their self-giving. I learn about God by asking questions! On the other hand, God’s questions demand answers! I mean, is He not the most compelling Person in the room whether speaking or not? When God speaks, a response is demanded! Scripture says that “His word does not return void but accomplishes all that he sent it forth to do” and that “He spoke and earth existed”. Talk about compelling speech! BUT how do I respond to God – as living dirt?! How could living dirt like me possibly fill the gap between the question and answer of God, Who IS Life Himself?
ahhhh… That’s where the “One mediator between God and man, the Man Jesus Christ” steps in! Whew!
If you think carefully about how human life works, you would have to admit that you must be taught how to ask meaningful questions. Without being taught how to speak and think (whether formal or informally), you would have no clue as to how to form meaningful words and sentences, let alone ask meaningful questions with them! You must be taught how to answer or search for good, meaningful answers. That’s what school is all about, right?
And can we agree that, with the exception of some type of mental disability or involvement of evil, most of us are interested only in meaningful questions and answers? After all, if questions and answers aren’t meaning-full then they are meaning-less, and who wants meaning-less anything? hmpf!
Hint hint: It works similarly in our questioning and answering with God, only different and way better! God, Father, Son and Spirit must teach you how to ask Him meaningful questions AND He must teach you how to receive his meaningful answers, and how to search for them! Even more straight up and to the point, God must give you the meaningful questions to ask AND give the meaningful answers to receive, in your place and on your behalf! As he does all of this, graciously, you get to participate and cooperate with him in truly meaningful questions and answers – relationship!
The most clear Revelation of this is Jesus Christ because He is the fullness of God, Father, Son and Spirit, in flesh, and the one mediator between God and Man. Holding that together, let’s see how this works:
Jesus said “But what about you – who do you say that I Am?” Matt 16:15
Do you see in that wording God questioning and answering in a meaningful way, while at the same time teaching man how to question and answer too? You should!
Because of Who Jesus is as both God and Man in one and the same Person, without division or confusion, we can understand in this passage that:
1.) Jesus is God graciously giving man the right question to ask!
2.) Jesus is Man receiving and asking the right question!
3.) Jesus is God giving man the meaningful answer to respond with – “I AM”
4.) Jesus is Man receiving and responding to God with that meaningful answer – “You are ‘I AM'”
Wow! Can you see how Jesus, as God in our sinful flesh, corrects the meaningless questions sinful man would bring to God apart from God’s help? Can you see how Jesus, God in our sinful flesh, corrects the meaningless answers sinful man would give to God without his help?
This all means that it is no exaggeration to say that Jesus is literally all your Questions and Answers!
Let’s conclude by putting this into practice:
Jesus: “But what about you, who do you say that I Am?”
You and Me: “Ahhhhh, now I see! You are the Christ, the Son of the living God! You are telling me that the meaningful question for me to ask is “Who are you, Jesus?” You also just told told me that the meaningful answer from you is that you are God, the “I Am” – God, Father, Son and Spirit. Sooo…THAT is Who you are! You also told me who I am! You are God in union and relationship with man, sharing your love and life with me! You are INtimately with me and for me! That is so full of meaning! I now know my identity is safe and secure only in you! I used to ask my job, dead parent, money, and hobby, to give me security and meaning! Those questions, and their answers, were so meaningless! I now know to turn to you for my questions and answers regarding life’s meaning where I am truly secure! THANK YOU!”
Jesus: “You have asked and answered well! Yay!”
You and Me: “You have asked and answered well! Yay!”
In the Light of Who Jesus is, can you see why Jesus, in scripture, many times “appears” not to answer people’s questions directly as they asked? Jesus asks and answers only meaningful questions and, if they aren’t grounded in Who He is, they can’t truly be meaning-full! In fact they may even be non-questions! How can he answer those?! haha
Can you understand more clearly why Jesus responded to Peter’s answer with: “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven.”? Matt 16:16-17
“Do you see why we often stumble in our questions to God and in receiving his answers to us?
Can you understand better why the Apostle John simply said to Jesus: “My Lord, you know!”? hahahaha
– tjbrassell
The Trinity And Evangelism!
Filed under: Bible, By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Church, Evangelism, Gospel, Grace Communion International, Humor, Liturgy, Love, Ministry, Perichoresis, Prayer, Relationships, Scripture Paraphrases, Sermons, Song, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Plan of Adoption, Trinity, Uncategorized, William Paul Young, Worship | Tags: Adoption, Baptism, Baptism of Jesus, Baptism of Repentance, Baxter Kruger, Bible, blessings, C. Baxter Kruger, Christ in our place, Christ in us, Christian Calendar, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, compassion, disciples, disciples of Christ, Discipleship, Dr. Mike Feazell, epiphany, Evangelism, Forgiveness, Forgiveness of Sin, GCI, God, God Father Son and Spirit, god the father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Son, God the Trinity, God's adopted sons and daughters, God's good news, God's Grace, God's Judgment, God's Will, good news, Gospel, Grace, Grace Communion International, gratitude, Holy Spirit, human, Incarnation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, JESUS THE CHRIST, life, Love, Mike Feazell, new life fellowship, Participation, Participation with Christ, Pastor Tim, Pastor Timothy Brassell, Paul Young, Preaching, Questions, Reality, Receiving Christ, Receiving God's Love, Relational God Revealed, relationship with God, Relationships, repent, repentance, response, Resurrection, Salvation, Scriptures, season of epiphany, second coming, sharing your faith, Sinners, Theology, Timothy Brassell, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, Will of God, William Paul Young, Worship
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On this 4th Sunday after the Epiphany in the Christian Calendar (The Season Of the God Revealed in Jesus Christ), Pastor Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship of Baltimore proclaims the Good News of Jesus sharing the Good News in Mark 1:14 – 15. It is followed up with a conversation about Evangelism from Dr. Baxter Kruger, William Paul Young (Author of The Shack), and Dr. Mike Feazell of Grace Communion International. The conversation is centered in the Light of the character of God: Father, Son and Spirit Himself and the implications of this discerned.
Specifically:
- We discuss what evangelism is and what it is not.
- We discuss how knowing God as Father, Son and Spirit should affect our approaches to sharing our faith.
- We are reminded that The Father, Son and Spirit IS RELATIONSHIP and His dream and intent IS to draw humanity into His relationship so that it becomes as much ours as it is His!
Listen in and join the conversation!
photo compliments: the-trinity-group.net
Questions And Responses Regarding Baptism And Other Things!
Filed under: Bible, By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Church, Evangelism, Gospel, Grace Communion International, Liturgy, Love, Ministry, Perichoresis, Prayer, Relationships, Scripture Paraphrases, Sermons, Song, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Plan of Adoption, Trinity, Uncategorized, Worship | Tags: Adoption, Ascension, Baptism, Baptism of Jesus, Baptism of Repentance, Bible, blessings, born again, born from above, Christ in our place, Christ in us, Christian Calendar, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, compassion, disciples, disciples of Christ, Discipleship, epiphany, Forgiveness, Forgiveness of Sin, God, God Father Son and Spirit, god the father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Son, God the Trinity, God's adopted sons and daughters, God's Going, God's good news, God's Grace, God's Judgment, God's Will, God: Father, good news, Gospel, Grace, gratitude, Holy Spirit, human, Incarnation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, jesus ministry, JESUS THE CHRIST, life, Love, new life fellowship, Participation, Participation with Christ, Pastor Tim, Pastor Timothy Brassell, Preaching, Purpose, Questions, real struggle, Reality, Receiving Christ, Receiving God's Love, Relational God Revealed, relationship with God, Relationships, repent, repentance, response, Resurrection, Rhythms of Grace, Salvation, Scriptures, season of epiphany, second coming, Sin, Sinners, Suffering, The One for the Many, Theology, Through Jesus Christ, Timothy Brassell, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, victory, Why was Jesus Baptized, Will of God, Worship
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On this 3rd Sunday after the Epiphany in the Christian Calendar (The Season Of the God Revealed in Jesus Christ), Pastor Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship of Baltimore proclaims the last message of this series on Jesus and His baptism. Rehearse how God’s baptism in Jesus is the GOOD NEWS that we can identify ourselves with Jesus boldly in our baptism, knowing God is SO GOOD that in Free Grace He has come to meet us in our rebellion, in our rejection and in our ignorance, CLEANSING AND LOVING US and bringing us into His relationship.
Hear in this interactive message the answers to these specific questions and more!:
- Why was God was Baptized?
- Why should we be baptized if Jesus was baptized for us?
- In what ways is baptism performed? Why is sprinkling done in some circles? Why is immersion done in others?
- Who is to be baptized?
- How many times should we be baptized?
- Does one have to be ordained to baptize others?
- Is being “Christened” and “Being baptized” the same thing?
- What if I was baptized in the name of someone other than Jesus or the Father, Son and Spirit? Should I be baptized again?
Listen in on this interesting conversation, and maybe hear YOUR question about baptism answered out of Who Jesus is as the Gospel!
Why In The World Was God Baptized?! Part 2
Filed under: By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Church, Evangelism, Gospel, Grace Communion International, Humor, Liturgy, Love, Ministry, Perichoresis, Prayer, Relationships, Scripture Paraphrases, Sermons, Song, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Plan of Adoption, Trinity, Uncategorized, Worship | Tags: Adoption, Ascension, Baptism, Baptism of Jesus, Baptism of Repentance, Bible, blessings, born again, born from above, Christ in our place, Christ in us, Christian Calendar, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, compassion, disciples, disciples of Christ, Discipleship, epiphany, Forgiveness, Forgiveness of Sin, God, God Father Son and Spirit, god the father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Son, God the Trinity, God's adopted sons and daughters, God's Going, God's good news, God's Grace, God's Judgment, God's Will, God: Father, good news, Gospel, Grace, gratitude, Holy Spirit, human, Incarnation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, jesus ministry, JESUS THE CHRIST, life, Love, new life fellowship, Participation, Participation with Christ, Pastor Tim, Pastor Timothy Brassell, Preaching, Purpose, Questions, real struggle, Reality, Receiving Christ, Receiving God's Love, Relational God Revealed, relationship with God, Relationships, repent, repentance, response, Resurrection, Rhythms of Grace, Salvation, Scriptures, season of epiphany, second coming, Sin, Sinners, Suffering, The One for the Many, Theology, Through Jesus Christ, Timothy Brassell, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, victory, Why was Jesus Baptized, Will of God, Worship
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In this Season of Epiphany in the Christian Calendar, Pastor Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship of Baltimore continues with this Part 2 message in his GOOD NEWS Series entitled, “Why In The World Was God Baptized?!” and answers with greater clarity the questions:
- Why was God Baptized?
- If Jesus was Baptized as my substitute, then why am I baptized too?
- Do I receive the Holy Spirit only after being baptized?
- Am I saved by baptism?
- Can I be still be saved and receive the Spirit if I choose not to be Baptized?
Listen in and learn – SO THAT YOU CAN RECEIVE and SHARE GOD’S GOOD NEWS WITH OTHERS!
Why In The World Was God Baptized?!
Filed under: Bible, By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Church, Evangelism, Gospel, Grace Communion International, Humor, Liturgy, Love, Ministry, Perichoresis, Prayer, Relationships, Scripture Paraphrases, Sermons, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Plan of Adoption, Trinity, Uncategorized, Worship | Tags: Adoption, Ascension, Baptism, Baptism of Jesus, Baptism of Repentance, Bible, blessings, born again, born from above, Christ in our place, Christ in us, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, compassion, disciples, disciples of Christ, Discipleship, Forgiveness, Forgiveness of Sin, God, God Father Son and Spirit, god the father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Son, God the Trinity, God's adopted sons and daughters, God's Going, God's good news, God's Grace, God's Judgment, God's Will, God: Father, good news, Gospel, Grace, gratitude, Holy Spirit, human, Incarnation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, jesus ministry, JESUS THE CHRIST, life, Love, new life fellowship, Participation, Participation with Christ, Pastor Tim, Pastor Timothy Brassell, Preaching, Purpose, Questions, real struggle, Reality, Receiving Christ, Receiving God's Love, Relational God Revealed, relationship with God, Relationships, repent, repentance, response, Resurrection, Rhythms of Grace, Salvation, Scriptures, season of ephiphany, second coming, Sin, Sinners, Suffering, The One for the Many, Theology, Through Jesus Christ, Timothy Brassell, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, victory, Why was Jesus Baptized, Will of God, Worship
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Why was Jesus, the PERFECT SON OF GOD IN FLESH, baptized with John’s Baptism of Repentance? How could God in Jesus repent of his own sins when the scriptures clearly say Jesus lived as the God/Man without sin?
In this season of Epiphany in the Christian Calendar, Pastor Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship of Baltimore points us to the answers to those questions, and more, in this GOOD NEWS message entitled, “Why In The World Was God Baptized?!” Reading Matthew 3: 13-17, learn that the ONLY WAY to understand baptism is to begin with JESUS CHRIST!
Often-asked questions are asked, and answered, in the Light of God being Baptized in Jesus, like:
- Is baptism primarily about your commitment to God, orrrr…is it possible that it is more about God’s commitment to you?
- Is baptism primarily about you receiving Jesus into your life, orrrr… isn’t possible that it is more about Jesus receiving us into his love, life and relationship with his Father, the Holy Spirit, Humanity and all of creation?
- Is baptism primarily about your own faltering faith and repentance, however good, orrrr…is it primarily about Jesus’ perfect faith and repentance on your behalf and in your place!
And, in the Light of these questions, if Jesus got baptized, Why do WE get Baptized?!
Understand your participation in Christ a little more clearly, especially since scriptures say that it was Jesus’ job (and NOT YOURS!) to FULFILL all righteousness!
God’s Coming Humanly Means God’s Going Humanly!
Filed under: Bible, By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Christmas, Church, Evangelism, Gospel, Grace Communion International, Liturgy, Love, Ministry, Perichoresis, Prayer, Relationships, Scripture Paraphrases, Sermons, Song, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Plan of Adoption, Trinity, Uncategorized, Worship | Tags: Adoption, Advent, Ascension, Bible, blessings, born again, born from above, Christ in our place, Christ in us, Christian Living, Christianity, Christmas, Christmas message, Church, compassion, disciples, disciples of Christ, Discipleship, Forgiveness, Forgiveness of Sin, God, God Father Son and Spirit, god the father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Son, God the Trinity, God's adopted sons and daughters, God's Amazing Grace, God's Coming, God's Going, God's good news, God's Grace, God's Judgment, God's Will, God: Father, good news, Gospel, Grace, gratitude, Holy Spirit, human, Incarnation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, jesus ministry, JESUS THE CHRIST, Jesus's coming, life, Love, new life fellowship, parousia, Participation, Participation with Christ, Pastor Tim, Pastor Timothy Brassell, Preaching, Purpose, Questions, real struggle, Reality, Receiving Christ, Receiving God's Love, Relational God Revealed, relationship with God, Relationships, repentance, response, Resurrection, Rhythms of Grace, Salvation, Scriptures, second coming, Sin, Sinners, Suffering, The One for the Many, Theology, Through Jesus Christ, Timothy Brassell, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, victory, Will of God, Worship
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Do you wonder how you can live through suffering in a way where you are still filled with FAITH, HOPE and LOVE? Where you can know VICTORY and experience New Life and a Higher Dimension of LIFE and DIGNITY?
On this 1st Sunday after Christmas, Pastor Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship of Baltimore points us to the answer to this dilemma in this GOSPEL FILLED GOOD NEWS message entitled, “God’s Coming Humanly Means God’s Going Humanly”and shows through Hebrews 10: 19-25 that, God Father, Son and Spirit KNOW and SHARE IN our real suffering through JESUS CHRIST! In Christ, God reveals that He is not one who stands apart from suffering, but One who stands WITH US, stands ESPECIALLY IN HUMAN SUFFERING!
Listen and understand better that:
~God’s coming as a human being, him becoming human through Christ, means He comes not just in our celebrations but in the depths of our human sufferings!
~Since the Ascension of Christ, humanity has a hope built on an accomplished fact that humanity could not have before the Ascension. That God has taken up our cause in CHRIST and not only cried our cries but in the resurrection and ascension He has ANSWERED our cries and has VICTORY over them now, IN HIS PRESENT HUMAN BEING! In Christ, God has been a Gift for Himself and for us!!
~The most clear understanding of who God is, IS JESUS CHRIST! Understand our participation with Christ now in the “Rhythms of Grace” and not “Regulations of Law”, as ways of relating with Our Father and Jesus in the Spirit !
~The most clear understanding of who man is, IS JESUS CHRIST! To see Jesus from His birth to His Ascension before the Father is how we understand what it really means to be human, since Jesus is and always has been God’s Plan for Man in man’s adoption!
~God’s Coming Humanly Always means God’s Going Humanly! His coming always means His going = God’s Being a Living, Active and Dynamic Lord, filled with Life and Movement! NOT A STATIC GOD!
WILL YOU COME AND GO WITH HIM, as His chosen disciple?
Christmas: What It Means! Why It Matters!
Filed under: Bible, By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Christmas, Church, Evangelism, Gospel, Grace Communion International, Humor, Love, Ministry, Perichoresis, Prayer, Relationships, Scripture Paraphrases, Sermons, Song, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Plan of Adoption, Trinity, Uncategorized, Worship | Tags: Adoption, Advent, Bible, blessings, born again, born from above, Christ in our place, Christ in us, Christian Living, Christianity, Christmas, Christmas message, Church, compassion, Forgiveness, Forgiveness of Sin, God, God Father Son and Spirit, god the father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Son, God the Trinity, God's adopted sons and daughters, God's Amazing Grace, God's good news, God's Grace, God's Judgment, God's Will, good news, Gospel, Grace, gratitude, Holy Spirit, Incarnation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, jesus ministry, JESUS THE CHRIST, Jesus's coming, life, Love, new life fellowship, Participation, Participation with Christ, Pastor Tim, Pastor Timothy Brassell, Preaching, Purpose, Questions, real struggle, Reality, Receiving Christ, Receiving God's Love, Relational God Revealed, relationship with God, Relationships, repentance, response, Salvation, Sin, Sinners, Suffering, The One for the Many, Theology, Through Jesus Christ, Timothy Brassell, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, What Christmas means, Why Christmas matters, Will of God, Worship
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On this 4th Sunday Of Advent 2014, Pastor Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship of Baltimore delivers this Christmas message filled with ASTOUNDING GOSPEL GOOD NEWS entitled, “Christmas: What it Means! Why it Matters! and shows through John 1: 1-14 that because JESUS IS THE WORD made flesh, CHRISTMAS MEANS: That God in Jesus LISTENS to us and FEELS us – That God is CHRIST LIKE, he has revealed himself in Christ – That man was made in the LIKENESS of GOD.
In this message we grasp how Christmas helps us:
~ Rehearse why it is important to hold to the fact that Christ shared in our actual and sinful, human flesh, inherited from Mary, His mother, AND “dwelt among US” and not in some other make-believe fantasy world that doesn’t exist!
~ Recognize and Live more fully in Reality in our daily lives, and in line with Who God is as Revealed in Jesus Christ, and who we are in Jesus; Recognize what Christ’s Ministry and Mission can and should look like among believers.
~ Respond to the burning questions: “Does God REALLY Care?” “Who and What is God REALLY Like? and “Will God REALLY turn out to be like Jesus?”
~ Realize why every human being has worth and is full of dignity even in this present, evil age (while also understanding reasons why the horrors of Nazi Germany happened and how its rotten strategies and effects are still being played out in our ordinary lives all over the world!)
….and MORE…
Photo compliments http://www.neloo.com
Everything In and Through Jesus The Christ!
Filed under: Bible, By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Church, Evangelism, Gospel, Grace Communion International, Liturgy, Love, Ministry, Perichoresis, Prayer, Relationships, Scripture Paraphrases, Sermons, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Plan of Adoption, Trinity, Uncategorized, Worship | Tags: Adoption, Advent, Answers, Bible, blessings, Christ in our place, Christ in us, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, compassion, Day of Atonement, death, Forgiveness, Forgiveness of Sin, God, God Father Son and Spirit, god the father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Son, God the Trinity, God's adopted sons and daughters, God's Amazing Grace, God's good news, God's Grace, God's Judgment, God's Will, good news, Gospel, Grace, gratitude, Holiness, holy, Holy Spirit, Incarnation, James Torrance, Jesus, Jesus Christ, jesus ministry, JESUS THE CHRIST, Jesus's coming, life, Love, new life fellowship, Participation, Participation with Christ, Pastor Tim, Preaching, Purpose, Questions, Reality, Receiving Christ, Receiving God's Love, Relational God Revealed, relationship with God, Relationships, repentance, response, Salvation, Sin, Sinners, Suffering, The One for the Many, Theology, Through Jesus Christ, Timothy Brassell, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, Will of God, Worship, Yom Kippur
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On this 2nd Sunday Of Advent 2014, Pastor Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship of Baltimore delivers this GOSPEL FILLED GOOD NEWS entitled, “EVERYTHING IN AND THROUGH JESUS THE CHRIST” as we come to understand just what “Everything In and Through Jesus Christ” means. Learn more what it means that God is not only here but comes to us IN JESUS CHRIST; what it meant that the Son came as a man, and assumed our REAL HUMAN NATURE!
Pastor Tim explores the Gospel through Hebrews 10 :10 – 23 and reading from James Torrance’s article “Christ In Our Place”, showing that:
~Jesus has a personal relationship with God on OUR behalf and we have a relationship with God THROUGH JESUS CHRIST! Because of God’s goodness, he makes our responses for us, so that when we respond we are only responding to Jesus’ response to his Father. In Him, and through Jesus, we are renewed by the Spirit in the image of God and in the worship of God and His life of SHARED COMMUNION!
~We burden ourselves with questions like: Do I have to ask for forgiveness before God will give it to me? Do right words, regulations, rules, and repentance take my sins away? But the scriptures tell us that JESUS is MEDIATOR between God and Man and that God draws near to humanity IN AND THROUGH CHRIST to fulfill His purposes of our human worship and communion with God! This means that FORGIVENESS IS LOCATED IN THE PERSON OF CHRIST and that IN AND THROUGH CHRIST, God HAS ALREADY FORGIVEN US! So, WHEN YOU ASK FOR FORGIVENESS YOU CAN BE SURE OF GETTING IT! Why? Because it has already been given to you in Jesus! For God: Father, Son and Spirit, there is no going back on forgiveness of your sins because the Son of God will live as Jesus the God/Man forever!! In Jesus Christ, sin has been COMPLETELY ELIMINATED!
~There is NO such thing as a transaction Gospel, or “If you do this THEN God will save and adopt you!” We can unburden ourselves with that mentality by hearing the Fathers’ response to us: I have forgiven you, therefore ENJOY AND receive it! I LOVE YOU therefore FOLLOW ME IN TRUST AND LOVE because YOU ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE CARED FOR! THE GOSPEL IS REALLY GOOD NEWS!
~Specifically, because everything is IN AND THROUGH CHRIST, we can give a real word of REST and JOY to people, so that in the JOY of Jesus they can RUN as WE DO, as The ADOPTED SONS AND DAUGHTERS THAT GOD ALWAYS WANTED!!!
~There is not so much work we have to do in getting the words right, or in getting the concepts down. We receive that Jesus got down here for and with us in our place and that there is NOTHING we can ever do to make God more Gracious and we are NEVER going to be able to condition God to like us. What we need to understand is WHO JESUS IS and WHAT HE has done for us, participating in His Response of gratitude and thankfulness to His Father, and in His Trust and Obedience!
What Jesus’ Coming Means For Us Today!
Filed under: Bible, By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Church, Evangelism, Gospel, Grace Communion International, Liturgy, Love, Ministry, Perichoresis, Prayer, Relationships, Scripture Paraphrases, Sermons, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Plan of Adoption, Trinity, Uncategorized, Worship | Tags: Adoption, Advent, Amazing Grace, Answers, Bible, blessings, Christian Living, Christianity, Church, compassion, death, Forgiveness, Forgiveness of Sin, God, God Father Son and Spirit, god the father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Son, God the Trinity, God's Amazing Grace, God's Grace, God's Judgment, God's Will, Gospel, Grace, gratitude, Holiness, holy, Holy Spirit, Incarnation, Jesus, Jesus Christ, jesus ministry, Jesus's coming, Judgment, kindness, life, Love, new life fellowship, Participation, Participation with Christ, Pastor Tim, Preaching, Purpose, Questions, Reality, Rebellion, Reflection, Relational God Revealed, Relationships, response, Salvation, Sin, Sinners, Suffering, Thanksgiving, Theology, Timothy Brassell, Trinitarian Theology, Trinity, Will of God, Worship
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On this 1st Sunday Of Advent 2014, Pastor Timothy Brassell of New Life Fellowship of Baltimore delivers a message of Good News entitled, “What Jesus’ Coming Means For Us Today!” Through Hebrews 10:1-10, he proclaims the GOOD NEWS that GOD THE SON’S COMING IN JESUS IS OUR REALITY, LIFE, and RESURRECTION and that WE WILL BE FULFILLED BY NOTHING LESS THAN HIM!
In this message we reinforce that:
~ Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of ALL and will appear a second time not to bear sin but to bring salvation to those waiting for him.
~ We, IN OUR BROKENNESS, don’t GET to start everything; don’t get to control or guide the outcome of life with our questions and answers. It is our pleasure, our role, to RESPOND IN GRATITUDE to what has been done to us, and INITIATED by GOD FOR US, IN HIS GRACE. GOD, in Christ, and by the Spirit, SHARES THANKSGIVING with us as a human response to HIS GREAT INITIATIVES in our lives!
~ God’s will for the world was for the Son to be born into it as Jesus. The purpose of Jesus Christ was to BE AND DO THE WILL OF GOD AS MAN! It was NEVER put upon anyone other than Jesus to meet the will of God or to meet God’s expectations for Man. We were never meant to carry the burden and impossibility of working out our own adoption and salvation. It was always up to Jesus Christ to meet the expectations of God. We were meant to be dependent on Christ. It was the will of God to make humanity HOLY – to rule over everything and everywhere under Christ, God himself! Further, it was the will of the Father to bring us to Glory as his adopted sons and daughters through Jesus Christ and by the Holy Spirit.
~ The Reality of God in Jesus not only stands FOR US, but also against us and against all other people, things, and attempts for us to fulfill our own lives and create our own purpose!
~ The Lord wants us to run in the JOY of being sons and daughters and not with the weight of trying to prove that He exists or in our trying to transform the world. He empowers believers to be witnesses and proclaimers of who HE IS, and to be a people of Promise and Hope!
– There are better ways we can take part in Jesus’ Ministry as His Church that will make us more free and less bogged down as we join Jesus in His Mission to His World.
~ Whatever Jesus’ coming means for us TODAY doesn’t mean He isn’t coming in the future, and whatever His coming means for us in the future doesn’t mean He isn’t already here!
Photo Compliments Rio Vista Community Church
Ask or Say Anything!
Filed under: Bible, By Tim Brassell, Christian Living, Church, Evangelism, Gospel, Grace Communion International, Humor, Love, Ministry, Prayer, Relationships, Sermons, The Dance and Dream of the Trinity, The Plan of Adoption, Trinity, Uncategorized, Worship | Tags: Ask Anything, Church, god the father, God the Holy Spirit, God the Son, God the Trinity, Gospel, I Cor 14:26, new life fellowship, Questions, Relationships, the local Church assembly
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In 1 Corinthians 14:26, about the local Church assembly, it reads “What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.” – NIV
We at New Life Fellowship of Baltimore, Maryland decided to take part in the life this verse speaks of as we listened, heard and responded to each other as questions were raised, or comments and testimonies were made! As usual, Pastor T tried to make sure everything said and done was understood in the Light of the Good News of the God Revealed in Jesus Christ! Check it out and be very forgiving of our “off the cuffness”! 🙂
Trinity and Humanity 