The key to the missionary’s message is the propitiation of Christ Jesus— His sacrifice for us that completely satisfied the wrath of God. Look at any other aspect of Christ’s work, whether it is healing, saving, or sanctifying, and you will see that there is nothing limitless about those. But— “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”— that is limitless (John 1:29). The missionary’s message is the limitless importance of Jesus Christ as the propitiation for our sins, and a missionary is someone who is immersed in the truth of that revelation.The real key to the missionary’s message is the “remissionary” aspect of Christ’s life, not His kindness, His goodness, or even His revealing of the fatherhood of God to us. “. . . repentance and remission of sins should be preached . . . to all nations . . .” (Luke 24:47). The greatest message of limitless importance is that “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins . . . .” The missionary’s message is not nationalistic, favoring nations or individuals; it is “for the whole world.” When the Holy Spirit comes into me, He does not consider my partialities or preferences; He simply brings me into oneness with the Lord Jesus.A missionary is someone who is bound by marriage to the stated mission and purpose of his Lord and Master. He is not to proclaim his own point of view, but is only to proclaim “the Lamb of God.” It is easier to belong to a faction that simply tells what Jesus Christ has done for me, and easier to become a devotee of divine healing, or of a special type of sanctification, or of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But Paul did not say, “Woe is me if I do not preach what Christ has done for me,” but, “. . . woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16). And this is the gospel— “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

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Journal Entry for Today

October 15 2014-JDV

Lord, whenever I hear “religious” words like sanctification, justification and propitiation, I wonder why they do not have the personal impact that other words like love; grace, faith, mercy have on me? I wonder why these words and concepts do not seem as personal to me. Should I spend more time learning about them, or understanding them?  Am I right to be distant from these words, or should I spend more of my spiritual energy learning about them?

And God says…”Translators and biblical scholars searched for words that would help explain the wonderful way for mankind, mired in wrong doing and wrong being,  to become connected to Me through Jesus. However in finding these words they often overlooked the heart in favor of the head. And as you know the real way for people to learn the Gospel is to see it lived out in an individual. When the very personal ways of love, grace, faith and mercy are lived out in you, these powerful and personal words have impact on others. However, your ability and opportunity to live out these words are possible because God provided Jesus as the substitute for your wrong being. And as a result you can now live the “God provided” abundant life by being connected to Jesus, curious about how I will answer your life questions, while you remain expectant and obedient. You can live out the life of a Christian not because of any good thing you have or will do, but because of the sacrifice of Jesus. And when you cannot and do not live out your life doing the right thing, the “propitiation of Jesus”, allows Me  to provide the grace and mercy necessary to overlook your wrong doing or wrong being. I do not see you and your wrong being or doing, I see Jesus. You do not have to be good enough; you simply have to accept Jesus and the abundant life provided by His sacrifice.”