From the Pastor:

 

ISAIAH 53: FOR US

 

Isaiah 53 is considered by many to be the Mt. Everest of the Old Testament. You see, in them we see Jesus on Mt Calvary, the Mt. Everest of the entire Bible.

 

"FOR US. FOR US." Those words should be written large and in gold. And we need to believe them, to hold them fast, for then we are really Christians, then we are Christ's. You see, Jesus did not suffer for His own sins. He had no sins of His own. Oh, the world judged Him guilty, because, you see the world says that everyone must suffer the consequences of his or her behavior. Therefore, as the world says, not only did Jesus suffer because of His sins, but we too must suffer, we too must pay the consequences of our own sins. That's how the world reasons. After all, did not the courts of His day judge Jesus guilty and thus condemned Him to death? So also the world reasons that we must pay for what we do. Break the law and then pay the penalty. That's the way it is.

 

But now comes the New Testament. Yes, Isaiah is really part of the New Testament, the New Covenant, the New Way of Looking at (judging) Things. Now we no longer have to bear the burden of our own sins. Instead we are invited to transfer all of them unto Christ. Now we all need to say, "I see my sins on Christ." That means that they no longer belong to us. Our sins are no longer our sins. They are His!

 

The devil doesn't like us to talk that way. In fact he hates it when we do. He doesn't want Christ to be our Savior. He wants us to reject the cross of Jesus and instead think that we have to make up for what we have done wrong. He wants us to think that we are our own saviors. When he is successful in getting us to think that way, then he has put an end to the work of Christ on the cross for us.

 

Yes, some might confess that they have a hard time believing that Jesus has taken all of their sins, especially the really bad ones, and especially the sins of really bad people, on Himself. Or they might worry that they don't live lives worthy of that, of His full forgiveness. They are convinced that they should do better in order to merit such forgiveness, and they think that those who don't do so also don't have such forgiveness. The devil wants us to think that way, but we must not let him do that to us. However weak our faith may be, however imperfect our lives might be, we need to remember that our salvation does not depend on what we do. Rather, it depends, and it depends 100%, on what Christ has done for us. That above all else is the Gospel. That above all else is the Bottom Line. And that in fact is FOR US, and in it we find comfort and consolation and hope beyond all compare, beyond all understanding.

 

Lord, we believe. Help us as we struggle with unbelief.

 

Pastor David M. Albertin

Welcome to

New Tracy, IN

8705 S 100 E

 SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE @ 9:00 AM

Mid Week Lenten Worship 6:30 PM: February 18 & 25,

March 4, 11,18 & 25.

Maundy Thursday, April 2 & Good Friday, April 3. 

  

  

Former members & friends come for worship any Sunday, introduce yourself and stay for coffee & donuts - we'd love to meet you!

 

Pastor Albertin, who has faithfully served us for almost 20 years, has stepped aside as the sole pastor of Immanuel. Please continue to pray for our congregation as we look for a new shepherd to lead us in the future.

 

 

Our bell, calling us to worship since February 1911.