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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2017-03-23, Page 14PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017. From the Minister's Study Jesus gave his life for sinners: van Leeuwen BY PASTOR GARY VAN LEEUWEN BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH For whom would you be willing to give up your life? I suspect that most of us would protect our children or our spouses to the point of death. I suspect we might do the same for our parents. We might not be quite so willing to give up our lives for a distant cousin or a neighbour. We might be willing to give up our lives for a good friend, but maybe not for just any friend. In Romans 5.7 the Apostle Paul says that "very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die." A righteous person is someone who does what is right. They give money to the food bank when there is a need. They pay their taxes. They are careful not to speed (too much) and they stop when someone wants to cross the road. A righteous person does what is expected. A good person does what is right, but a good person will go above and beyond the mere call to duty. A good person will sit with a friend who is in the hospital. They will volunteer at the homeless shelter. They will spend the day helping the neighbours pack their furniture, including the piano, into the moving truck. A good person will go above and beyond to help others and care for them, with no compensation for themselves. It seems that Paul has a pretty good grasp of human nature. While we might appreciate that a righteous person is doing everything in the right way, we love a good person. We see the blessings that a good person provides to the lives of others. Thus, we might be willing to push a good person out of the way of a truck, putting our own lives into danger while we probably would be more hesitant to do that for someone is merely righteous. But would we be willing to die for a scoundrel who is verbally abusive to others? Would we be willing to put our lives on the line for someone who cheats in his business dealings or who shares her friend's closest secrets? I expect that we would be rather loathe to give up our lives for such people. And, yet, as Paul explains, that is what Jesus came to do for us. Paul writes in Romans 5.8 that "while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." This is a demonstration of God's love for us. Let's be clear about what a "sinner" is. There are two basic categories of sins. There are things we did which we shouldn't have. For example, stealing a few dollars from the till at work falls into that category. And there are things which we didn't do which we should have. 1Vt - Cf iatiaiv relleaat ip Mar. 26, 4th in Lent: Eph.3:14-21 � r� Daring Faith #4 m."4wd�a.ruusat "Daring to tra Imagine" III Evangelical Missionary Church Small Group (1). Mon. 8:OOpm at J&R Uyl's, 180 North, Blyth Small Group (2) • Tues. 7:30 pm at GAM Lisle's, Wingham Coffee Break Women's Bible Study • Wed. 10 am at Blyth CRC Youth Group • Wed. 6:30.8:30 pm at Huron Chapel EMC, Aubum 10:30 a.m. - Worship & Sunday School at 308 Blyth Rd. (former Church of God) Pastor: Ernest Dow - 519-523-4848 getlivingwater.or) An example of this would be that we drove right past the car which was stuck in the snowdrift when we were perfectly capable of helping out. In other words, sinners are those who are neither righteous nor good. We all fall into the category of "sinner," whether we like to admit it or not. All of have done something which we shouldn't have done, and none of us have everything we could have done. We are neither perfectly righteous nor perfectly good. If you all knew who I really am and what goes on in my heart, I expect that you would rather unwilling to give your life for me. That is probably true of all of us. We are well aware that we could be doing a lot more to help others and make this world a better place. God knows our hearts. He knows what kind of people we are. And he has every right to say that we're not worth the bother. But he doesn't say that. Rather, at the heart of the biblical message is this fact: Although God knows us very well, even the deepest and darkest parts of our hearts, he still sent his Son, Jesus, to this world to give his life for us. Jesus didn't come to a world full of good people, nor did he even come to a world full of righteous people. No, he came to a world full of sinners, and he came knowing that those very sinners would turn against him and have him killed. God sent him to this world for that very purpose, for in his death on the cross Jesus accomplished something very important for us. We have been "justified". This is a legal term which defines our legal status. I have never physically killed anyone, so I am justified when the judge acquits me of murder in the event that I am charged with such a crime. But, if I stand before God who knows my heart, I have to admit that I will not be justified of everything. I could have done a lot more to help others, and I have done a lot which I shouldn't have done. I cannot be ANGLICAN PARISH OF NEW BEGINNINGS BLYTH Trinity 6, 9:15 am Church Office 519-357-4883 BRUSSELS St. John's 11:15 am Church Office 519-887-6862 Everyone Welcome! COME WORSHIP WITH US! ,lou re 9nvited a join Gits 9n Worskp SUNDAYS Morning Service Evening Service 10:00 am 7:30 pm BLYTH CHRISTIAN REFORMED CHURCH ) Minister: Pastor Gary van Leeuwen Hwy. 4, Blyth www.blythcrc.ca 519-523-4743 Saccadeld eoHurcZ%tc'fty eitaftee (---- You're Invited to come worshiy with us ' lokS_ .,"" �.. Sunday, March 26 Brussels Business & Cultural Centre at 10:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Sunday School for children 4 to 12 years of age at 9:30 a.m. Childcare provided for infants and preschoolers during the sermon. Coffee & cookies after the morning service. For additional details please contact Pastor Andrew Versteeg 519.887.8621 Steve Klumpenhower 519.292.0965 Rick Packer 519.527.0173 Blyth United Church Est. 1875 Worship Service & Sunday School at 11:00 a.m. ent Sunday, March 26 Lent 4 "When Hearing the Truth Hurts" MINISTER: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M. Div. . OFFICE: 519-523-4224 justified (declared innocent) in what I have done. But in Jesus Christ, who gave his life on the cross, if I put my trust in him, I am justified. When I put my faith in Jesus Christ, I am declared innocent. All those things I should have done and am guilty of not doing, Jesus takes on himself as if they were his own. And all those things I did which I shouldn't have, Jesus takes on himself as if they were his own. I would have a hard time dying for most of the people in this world. I am sure that you would say the same. But Jesus gave his life for "sinners", people like you and me. He calls us to trust in him so that we can be declared innocent of all wrongdoings and gain a renewed relationship with our God. See histories and historic photographs on the Huron History section of our website www.northhuron.on.ca ',. BRUSSELS '4 % United Church WORSHIP SERVICE AND SUNDAY SCHOOL 10:00 am Bulletin notices: 519-523-4224 blythunited@tcc.on.ca Church bookings: 519-887-6377 Everyone welcome Minister: Rev. Gary Clark, BA, M.Div. -- 226-963-1175 MELVILLE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BRUSSELS SUNDAY, MARCH 26 We invite you to join our church family in: Worship & Sunday School - 11 am Coffee & Snacks following the service Fridays 11:30 am - 1:00 pm - Soup & More 2 - a free community meal held in Melville's basement, and made possible by the Brussels churches working together. j (� Nursery care available 519-887-6687 Kinda Like The Friends You'll Meet at Huron Chapel (but without the slobber) 4.1 ti Always A Place For You 10:30am every Sunday in Auburn - huronchapel.com THE CATHOLIC PARISHES OF NORTH HURON AND NORTH PERTH CORDIALLY INVITE YOU TO ATTEND HOLY MASS. OUR SUNDAY LITURGIES ARE AS FOLLOWS: Brussels: St. Ambrose Saturday 6:00 p.m. 17 Flora Street Wingham: Sacred Heart Sunday 9:00 a.m. 220 Carling Terrace Listowel: St. Joseph's Sunday 11:00 a.m. 1025 Wallace Avenue N.