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<\/a><\/p>\n“where there is no faith in\u00a0Jesus\u00a0<\/span>& repentance of your sin there is no good<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0news or salvation.”\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n ****************<\/strong>REPLACED CHRIST****************<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n Go google Easter and see what you come up with (seriously do it now if you have time), surprised that Jesus is not the first thing you come up with?! \u00a0The world view of Easter is vastly different to the Christian view of Easter. \u00a0I said in a tweet recently the above comment (find it here >>) \u00a0\u00a0https:\/\/twitter.com\/GeraldWhite_\/status\/456693019098763264<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n The meaning of Easter\u00a0has been replaced by the Easter bunny, Easter eggs, fluffy ducklings and Jesus Christ has been overlooked. A message that gives hope and life has now been put aside for diabetes, sugar high’s, consumerism \u00a0and commercialism. Instead of lifting up the most high and giving glory to Him as we seek to be reconciled to Him through the precious, bloody, costly cross, we have made it all about us and what goodies we can get. Christ is not a sugar daddy that gives us continual goodies, so He has been replaced by chocolate and the idol of self. Now do not misunderstand me, I am not saying you cannot have a chocolate egg or enjoy giving them (I love creme eggs, for anyone interested), but I am saying that our focus should be Christ in all things. To my shame I have gone through Easter before without blinking an eyelid to the gospel. Have you thought about it’s meaning and significance yet and the one who has done this for you?<\/p>\n ****************<\/strong>A LASTING HOPE****************<\/strong><\/p>\n The Easter bunny will not give you eternal hope and life, the Easter eggs you eat will not fill and satisfy your soul, the only one to set you free from the bondage of sin and lead to eternal life\u00a0is Jesus Christ, the King of Kings, the most high, the one who one day we will all bow the knee to (Romans 14:11)<\/strong>. Worldly things have\u00a0the allure of looking good\u00a0and keep you coming back for more and more, but will\u00a0never fully satisfy and eventually\u00a0will fade away (1 John 2:17, 2 Corinthians 4:18)<\/strong>. However\u00a0Christ promises<\/strong>\u00a0Freedom in Him (Galatians 5:1)<\/strong>, Identity in Him (John 1:12-13)<\/strong>, New Life in Him (2 Corinthians 5:17)<\/strong>, Perfection\u00a0in Him (Philippians 3:12)<\/strong>, Forgiveness in Him (1 John 1:9)<\/strong>, \u00a0etc. However it requires humble (James 4:6)<\/strong>, repentance (Acts 3:19)<\/strong>, a changing of my way to His way and that for some is too much. The choice of direction leads to two eternal destinations.<\/p>\n I could write down the message of the gospel in greater detail (for that you can look at previous blog posts) but I think it is best you listen to this message from Billy Graham which he shared last year aged 95, a message that changed his life and led him to boldly proclaim it. Check it out here >>><\/strong> \u00a0https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=mq7xhYuuqCs<\/p>\n ****************<\/strong>WHAT HAS CHRIST DONE FOR YOU?****************<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n This week (Holy Week<\/a>) is a fantastic opportunity to share the Gospel as we lead up to\u00a0Easter<\/a>\u00a0. As followers of Jesus Christ we need to be intentional<\/strong> about sharing the gospel. To follow means to follow, not to spectate and watch. \u00a0Paul said “For\u00a0<\/span>I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is\u00a0<\/span><\/strong>the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” – Romans 1:16<\/strong>; do you believe that today? If so, please do not keep that truth to your self, ask God for opportunities. Charles Spurgeon my hero said\u00a0\u201cWhen we preach Christ crucified, we have no reason to stammer, or stutter, or hesitate, or apologise; there is nothing in the gospel of which we have any cause to be ashamed.\u201d<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0So what did Jesus accomplish on the Cross for those that by faith believe in Him?<\/p>\n >Jesus was punished that we might be forgiven. A gospel that never states what Christ has done is no gospel.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n As Paul mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15<\/strong>, “I would remind you, brothers,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>of the gospel\u00a0<\/span>I preached to you, which you received,\u00a0<\/span>in which you stand,\u00a0<\/span>and by which\u00a0<\/span>you are being saved.”<\/span><\/strong>\u00a0So take heart my friends JESUS IS ALIVE and want’s you to know and accept Him.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Grace and peace to you<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" “where there is no faith in\u00a0Jesus\u00a0& repentance of your sin there is no good\u00a0news or salvation.”\u00a0 ****************REPLACED CHRIST**************** Go google Easter and see what you come up with (seriously do it now if you have time), surprised that Jesus is not the first thing you come up with?! \u00a0The world view of Easter is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":44,"featured_media":557,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[142,68,119,97,16],"tags":[77,2,3,4,28,125,7,9,14,15,17],"class_list":{"0":"post-554","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-christianity","8":"category-faith","9":"category-gospel","10":"category-leadership","11":"category-religion","12":"tag-bible","13":"tag-christ","14":"tag-christian","15":"tag-christianity","16":"tag-church","17":"tag-easter","18":"tag-god","19":"tag-gospel","20":"tag-jesus","21":"tag-leadership","22":"tag-religion","23":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/thegospelplant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/554","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/thegospelplant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/thegospelplant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/thegospelplant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/44"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/thegospelplant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=554"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/thegospelplant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/554\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/thegospelplant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/557"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/thegospelplant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=554"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/thegospelplant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=554"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/themajestysmen.com\/thegospelplant\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=554"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\n>Jesus was wounded that we might be healed.
\n>Jesus was made sin with our sinfulness, that we might be made righteous with His righteousness.
\n>Jesus tasted death for us that we might share His life.
\n>Jesus was made a curse that we might receive the blessing.
\n>Jesus endured our poverty that we might share His abundance.
\n>Jesus bore our shame that we might share His glory.
\n>Jesus endured my rejection that I might have His acceptance with the Father.
\n>He was cut off that we might be joined to the Lord.
\n>Our Old self\u00a0was put to death in Him that the New self\u00a0might come to life in us through faith in Jesus.<\/p>\n