What We Need

TITLE: What We Need
DATE: April 19, 2019 – Good Friday
TEXT:  John 1: 9-13 – ESV-  He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own,[b] and his own people[c] did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
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There was once a man who had for some time suffered from various illnesses. He had seen countless doctors But the man’s condition did not improve. He tried home remedies, drank herbal tea, took mega-doses of vitamins along with his prescriptions, but he did not feel any better than he had before. Then he heard of a physician who was said to be an outstanding diagnostician. Hundreds of people reported that this doctor could cure the diseases which bamboozled others.

The day of the appointment arrived. After the doctor had thoroughly examined the man. She sat him down and said, "My friend, you are not a healthy man. But you can be well again if you will follow my advice. What you need to do is lose about sixty pounds, get involved in a regular program of exercise, and eat more grain, fruit, and vegetables. You don't need to take any more pills."

When the man heard this, he was indignant. The doctor smiled patiently and repeated her advice. The man cursed the doctor and stomped out of the office. For the rest of his sickly life, he hated her and told everyone he could that she was a hoax who didn't deserve the title of doctor at all.

The truth was she had given him what he needed, not what he wanted.

Once there was a small nation that was deeply troubled. Little by little, people began to talk of the need for a Messiah who would fix everything for them--a messiah who would overthrow the foreign army and bring peace and prosperity to the nation. When word came about a Man Who was able to heal people, cast out demons, and change water into wine, ;the people said,  "At last."

One day this Man came into the capital city of Jerusalem. The people cheered His arrival. Then opinions turned. On Thursday they arrested Him. On Friday the Man was crucified. The world has a history of denouncing and killing messiahs who don't deliver what it wants. The world wants a lapdog god it can domesticate and control, a sweet god who indulges and blesses the sickness, the selfishness--in other words, the sinfulness of the world.

The Bible talks about many sins, but in truth, there is only one.

That is the sin of substituting another god for the only true God. When you devise a messiah from your own desire and imagination and then you worship that messiah rather than God, you sin.

Today is Good Friday and we surrender to the Suffering Servant, Jesus, all of our false expectations and selfish hopes. He offers His body and sheds His blood as He carries the sin of the entire world

Today is Good Friday and we remember the Savior’s sacrifice, His gifts, His care, His grace, His love. We meet, once again, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Today is Good Friday and we enter the dark night of sorrow and death, so that we may receive the eternal life offered in the resurrection. This Good Friday we give thanks for a Savior Who gives us what we need, and not what we want. Today is Good Friday and we pray

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord while in this world we see things cloudy and confused. Grant that with faith in the risen Redeemer we may see things Your way. This I ask in the  name of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen

The music which introduces and concludes our devotions was written by Guy Baumann. He along three of his brothers perform on the album: The Baumann Brothers which may be ordered here: http://thebaumannbrothers.com/index.html