July 8, 2010 AD

Your Substitute

Dear FBCO Family:

What do you think of when you think of the term substitute? I heard a story of a Prisoner of War, how after work one night a guard saw that a shovel was missing. Convinced one of the POW’s had stolen it, he yelled for the guilty party to step out. When no one did, the guard was ready to kill them one by one until someone confessed. Immediately a young Scottish soldier stepped forward, saluted and said, “I did it.” The guard beat him to death on the spot. His fellow POW’s picked up their friend’s body and buried it in the crude cemetery and then they returned their tools to camp. At that point the shovels were recounted. The guard was wrong. None were missing.

What kind of person would take the blame for something he didn’t do? Jesus! We can understand someone dying for a loved one, but God put His love on the line for us in that “while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8). Think about it, God laid on Jesus all the guilt and shame you and I deserved and thus He became our Mediator to reconcile us to God. A mediator reconciles differences and negotiates agreements between people. At the cross, Jesus stood between God’s wrath and us and took the punishment for our sins. Having lived the life we could not live, He then took the punishment we could not escape. He freely offers us salvation we could never be rich enough
to buy. I Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.”

Stop where you are right now and thank God for the gift of His Son for your salvation. May we say along with the Apostle Peter, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” 2 Peter 9:15. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

Sunday’s Sermon: We are going to do a series of messages over the next few weeks called “Questions” and it will cover the questions people have over the Christian life. Sunday we will look at “What is Salvation?” from Acts 9. We talk about “being saved” but do we really understand and appreciate all that “being saved” means? Bring an unchurched or seeking friend Sunday to hear what God says as He seeks and saves "that which is lost".

Vacation Bible School: Starts Monday. The theme is “High Seas Expedition” and you won’t want to miss it. Thanks to all our workers for your fantastic service to our Lord thorough the kids. You are loved!

Beloved, I can’t wait to see you Sunday at 9:00 or 10:30am ready to study God’s Word together. I love you so much!

The shepherd loves the sheep,

Pastor Roger