GBC Community Update: Why the need for the Easter sacrifice of Jesus? Pt.2

​Good morning. I hope you’re making this a great week.  There is much anticipation about what the government will announce this afternoon. As I write this I don’t know what will happen but I know God is still on the throne, Easter can’t be cancelled. In terms of what that looks like, we’ll wait and see.  Let’s continue to find our hope in an empty cross and an empty tomb.
 
 
Good Friday Service
On 10:30am here at GBC, and our livestream, we will be reflecting on the cross and the payment Jesus made for our sins at our annual God Friday service.
Join us for this thoughtful time, with includes communion, as we consider what Jesus did for us and how his death sets us free.
 
 
Join us as we celebrate the empty tomb!
We’re not sure at this point what Easter Sunday will look like. If there any changes that impact those who come I’ll let you know with a special update.
Regardless, I will be continuing our series as we now celebrate Easter and Jesus love lived out. This week I’ll be looking at the time right after Jesus rose from the dead. It was a confusing time for many (not surprising!) so we’ll be looking at Jesus words: “stop doubting and believe.” 
Remember, you can connect through our website www.guelphbiblechapel.ca  our YouTube channel as well as Facebook LIVE
 
 
Outreach Workshop Coming Up
Our next outreach workshop will be held on Sunday April 11 at around 12:30.  It’ll last about 20 minutes and will be focused on practical ways to engage the world around you with the gospel.  I’ll be again leading this so I hope you can make it out!
 
 
Thought for the Day: Why the need for the Easter sacrifice of Jesus? Pt.2
On Tuesday I looked at the idea of why Jesus had to go to the cross from the position of our legal standing. Understand that what happened at the cross was a legal proceeding like no other. God is victim, judge and defense counsel. It may seem a bit strange to us, but this is the way it must be. God is judge by right of creation. He made it all. He owns it all. He sets the rules in place for the governance of it all. God is also the victim here because, in spite of His right to require obedience, I have spurned Him. I have refused to live according to the decrees of the Owner of all. He is the injured party in this proceeding.
But that verse I shared in Micah on Tuesday also tells me that God is the defense counsel. I discover that God is not simply the moral policeman of the universe. He is exactly as He describes Himself in Exodus 34:6 – compassionate and full of mercy. God steps in to plead my case when there is absolutely no excuse for my actions.
So, what does pleading mean when I am a confessed criminal? From my perspective, it can only mean one thing – a cry for a merciful verdict. In these circumstances, that’s all I could come up with. That, however, is not God’s way. God’s way is amazingly controversial, completely unanticipated and absolutely unique. The victim voluntarily dies in the place of the guilty. This is the whole creation turned upside-down. Nothing could have prepared us for this solution. The law is upheld. The judge is satisfied. The guilty are forgiven. Mercy triumphs over wrath without compromising justice.
That’s why we call it Good Friday and why we praise the God who died in our place. It’s the only reason we are free, that’s why there needed to be a cross, that’s why there needed to be an Easter sacrifice.  Pretty amazing, huh?
 
In His grip,
Pastor Chris