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His Name Is
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Grace Church
257 Kendall Street
Burlington, WI 53105

(262) 763-3021

Email:
Pastor Scott Carson

Secretary Patti Hall

PASTOR'S PENS 2006

Grace Church of Burlington April 16, 2006 “If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent us an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. If our greatest need had been pleasure, God would have sent us an entertainer. But our greatest need was forgiveness, so God sent us a Savior.” While walking by a plastic factory in Hungary, a man named Mr. Rubik caught a unique little plastic cube that hurled into the air by a factory explosion. After some investigation, it was found that the factory had not manufactured the “cube,” nor was it even on the drawing board. It just came into existence all by itself in that factory explosion. Mr. Rubik examined the “cube” and found that it was composed of twenty-seven smaller cubes of six different colors totaling fifty-four squares. Mathematicians calculated that thousands, even millions of different patterns could be arranged on that one cube. And, of course, that cube came to be known as the “Rubik’s Cube.”             Do you believe that story? Do you believe that the Rubik’s Cube was formed by an explosion in a plastic factory? Hopefully not. There are just some things that are too hard to believe, but there are some things that even though they are hard to believe, though they are beyond what seems possible...they still should be believed.             For example, on Sunday, July 20, 1969, hundreds of millions of people watched their television sets as man set foot on the moon. When Neil Armstrong stepped down on the moon’s surface, he said those immortal words, “That’s one small step for man...one giant leap for mankind.” That moon landing is a fact, but do you realize that many people didn’t believe it? And no doubt there are still some people today who still don’t believe it!    Some things are hard to believe, but some things should never be doubted! One fact that we should believe and never doubt is that the forgiveness for all of our sins is in Jesus Christ. That’s a fact and you should believe it! It’s what Easter is really all about – God’s forgiveness and plan of redemption! And this fact is repeated over and over again in Scripture. “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Eph. 1:7).  “For He (God) has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Col. 1:13-14). “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed (or forgiven)” (1 Peter 2:24).             My friend, if God said it, if God wrote it, if God did it, if God guarantees it, then we must believe it! And we are fools not to.             One of the reason some people have trouble believing that complete forgiveness is available through Jesus Christ is because they have a distorted picture of God. Christian counselor, Dr. David Seamands, of Asbury College told about a seminary student who was struggling with guilt about his past. While he was an “A” student, he was an emotional wreck. Dr. Seamands asked him, “What is your view of God?” The young man said, “I’ll bring you a picture of God to you tomorrow.” Dr. Seamands said he could hardly wait. He was very much interested in seeing a picture of God. The next day the young man came in with a picture of Ebenezer Scrooge. He said, “That’s my view of God.” No wonder that young man had a such difficult time believing in God’s forgiveness.             My friend, what’s your picture of God? Does it match the picture that we find in Scripture...that God gives of Himself? Then, are you trying to “do” something for God to earn His forgiveness when Jesus has already “done” it all on the Cross? God loves you, wants to forgive you and make you part of His family...but you must believe...you must trust Him. You must take Him at His Word. That’s the real Easter story but is it your story? Have you personally accepted God’s gift of forgiveness?