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Hi guys, =) back from supper with Lilin and Jem and Kai, and I can't really get to sleep... PLUS, I promised a summary of the past Sunday service, so here I am...
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We see in Isaiah 53, the trials that the Christ must go through for us. Him being wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace upon Him, and us being healed by His stripes... The following chapter Isaiah 54 speaks of the perpetual covenant of peace that lasts forevermore. A promise of everlasting kindness of the Lord. Everlasting.

Isaiah 54
9"For this is like the waters of Noah to Me;
For as I have sworn That the waters of Noah would no longer cover the earth,
So have I sworn That I would not be angry with you, nor rebuke you.
10For the mountains shall depart
And the hills be removed,
But My kindness shall not depart from you,
Nor shall My covenant of peace be removed,"
Says the LORD, who has mercy on you.

He has sworn. God's word is true, and God is no liar. But He has sworn by Himself to give assurance to the believer, an iron-clad guarantee. So He shall.

Pastor speaks of the lies the devil tries to tell the believer today. The lies in making the believer think that God is still angry with them in some way.

Proverbs 20
2The wrath of a king is like the roaring of a lion; Whoever provokes him to anger sins against his own life.

Sounds familiar? the devil also goes about like a roaring lion! The king here actually speakes of God and His just nature. However, fret not folks! This wrath that Proverbs 20 speaks of has already been consumed by Jesus at the cross! So has God sworn that He will never be angry with the believer nor rebuke the believer. He swore! What more can we ask? Oh, and as I was saying, this devil goes about like a roaring lion to sort of 'mimick' the wrath of a king, so as to make the believer think that judgement's coming from God. (get what I'm trying to put across?) The judgement that fell on Jesus 2000 years ago. So fret not. For God is for you. He has sworn!

Okay, and the last part of his sermon, I felt was really really good. Pastor expounds on generational curses, and how it's covered at the cross as well (well, it seems that ALL we lack has been covered! ALL! what great comfort).

Jeremiah 31
29In those days they shall say no more:
"The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
And the children's teeth are set on edge.'

30But every one shall die for his own iniquity; every man who eats the sour grapes, his teeth shall be set on edge.

31"Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah

Ezekiel 18
1 The word of the LORD came to me again, saying, 2"What do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying:
"The fathers have eaten sour grapes,
And the children's teeth are set on edge'?

3"As I live," says the Lord GOD, "you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel.

Ok, and so here goes. The 'sour grapes' refer to the generational curse! For the fathers having eaten sour grapes, set their children's teeth on edge! This generational curses be it medical (hereditary illnesses) or spiritual (bad luck) etc. This proverb was found in 2 different books! It was revealed to the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel that it shall be no more! It shall be no more! Through the Christ, this 'curse' will be taken away! Cos at the cross there is only blessing. Only blessing. Jesus fulfils the prophecy at the last moment, just before He gave His Spirit to heaven.

John 19
28After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!" 29Now a vessel full of sour wine was sitting there; and they filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on hyssop, and put it to His mouth. 30So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.

Jesus actually thirsts for the righteousness of His father. Think about it. Jesus stays crucified for 3 burning days and 3 nights with scars and wounds all over His body, His face marred beyond recognition. Without water. Parched lips. Cracked lips. Split lips. Dry throat. The cruel Roman soldiers took the expressed thirst literally, and thought Jesus meant He wanted water. Cruelly, they shoved sour wine ('vinegarish stuff') to His mouth. Imagine the sensations He felt! Terrible it must have been. The pain searing through His lips, the sour vinegar down His parched throat. He took it. He receives the sour wine for our sake! Jesus receives the generational curse so that you and I need not experience it! It is removed from our lives! We are truly redeemed from any curse. and having done that final thing, He bowed His head (and bowed, meaning rest in the greek translation) and yielded His spirit.

Matthew 27
50And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
51Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split

After consuming all of God's wrath, God couldn't wait to embrace man again. Note that Jesus' sacrifice happened just as the Old Testament priests were slaying their own lambs for the sacrificial offerings. What a sight! It happened at that exact same hour that the sacrifice was to be made before God in the Holy of Holies. All while the true Lamb of God was put to the slaughter for the eternal redemption of man. Behold, the veil of the temple was torn, and God stepped out, embracing man like a Father to a child. Running His fingers through our hair and telling us that it's ok.. Wow. Nothing separating us from the love of Christ, truly.

Be blessed!