MY FRIENDS, WE ARE WITHIN REACH NOW WHAT?

Sep. 5, 2016

MY FRIENDS, WE ARE WITHIN REACH NOW WHAT?

“It was not the pain and ignominy of the cross that caused His inexpressible agony. Christ was the prince of sufferers; but His suffering was from a sense of the malignity of sin, a knowledge that through familiarity with evil, man had become blinded to its enormity. Christ saw how deep is the hold of sin upon the human heart, how few would be willing to break from its power. He knew that without help from God, humanity must perish, and He saw multitudes perishing within reach of abundant help.”(E. G. White, Desire of Ages p 752-753)

And today each of us are within “reach of abundant help.” But like Judas, who allowed pride and greed to keep his eyes focused on earthly things instead of a Savior that was about to lay down His Life So that not only Judas but all of mankind may have life and have it more abundantly.” Satan kept the pressure on Judas thirty pieces of silver to betray the Master, about six hundred dollars.

Christ had never offered him six hundred dollars and just look at all the work he had to do daily as His disciple. My friends don’t you see how our earthly decisions are being played out daily in this great controversy. But we are still within reach of abundant help we just have to choose wisely. Up until that point Judas was “within reach” he had not passed that boundary line, he still had an opportunity to repent.

For “……..the Lord is patient with you and I, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) So now Satan was in full control of Judas and Jesus recognize it, so His words were not only to Judas, but to the one who now controls Judas. “What you are about to do, do quickly.” John 13:27 (NIV) Because I have already seen you “fall like lightning from heaven” [You are a defeated foe.] Luke 10:18 (NKJV)

Satan never understood what lengths Christ would go through to demonstrate so passionately his desire to rescue mankind from the penalty of sin. For “rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:7-8 (KJV)

My friends, the narrative of our lives is still being played out, today we are within reach of where God is trying to take us. Remember Judas was in the very presence of that abundant help. It may not be six hundred dollars like it was with Judas, but what are we willing to give up life eternal for today. We have not passed that boundary line, God still stands at the door, of our heart and knocks. Remember Christ defeated Satan not only at Calvary but throughout His Life.

He knew His Father was within reach So He forever prayed and studied the scriptures. And through His Faith He endured. And even though Christ knew know sin, “not in word or deed or thought did he sin.” And that within itself is a mystery that goes beyond our finite minds.  But he took upon Himself the sins of us all.

He experienced the temptations we experience each day from the forces of evil, He “identified with the transgressors” He knows the strugles we go through in trying to resist, but “not in word or deed or thought did he sin.” And because He overcame and did not yield we are within reach of being just as perfectly righteous as Jesus in the sight of God and living throughout the ceaseless ages of eternity. Yes my friends“we are within reach.” Now what?