We've been looking at the story of Noah in our family service (held in Inspire coffee bar under St. Luke's church). It's been fun and amongst other things, the kids have coloured in rainbows and made doves out of paper plates.
The last theme in our study of Noah was the rainbow and with it the amazing promise of God's love for us. Instead of destroying us for the wrong thing that we do, he came up with another plan and sent Jesus to pay the price for us. “For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23.
So we looked at some of the other promises of God in the bible through the colours of the rainbow. Here are just a few.
RED is for RECEIVE
The bible talks about receiving many times. Matthew talks about prayer and us receiving what we ask for in prayer. Jesus promises the disciples that they will receive the Holy Spirit but one of the promises about receiving that I like is from Hebrews:
"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16
Although we don’t deserve to be able to approach God, we are able to do exactly that because of Jesus. This passage talks about Jesus being the great High Priest pleading on our behalf. A high priest who is able to sympathise with our weaknesses, who understands us, understands how difficult it can be to be a human at times. He stands up for us and makes it possible to come before the throne of God. How amazing is that? And the promise is that we will receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
ORANGE is for ONLY
God loved us so much that he sent his ONLY son into the world.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
It wasn’t just any son God sent but his only beloved son. He lived amongst us. In Philippians it says:
"Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death, even death on a cross." Philippians 2:6-8
But God offers us life rather than death. Even though we don’t deserve it. If we believe and trust in God, we can have a relationship with God the Father, the creator of the universe. Isn’t that incredible?
YELLOW – YOUR NEEDS
And it isn’t just in death that we receive life but also here and now. In Philippians it says:
"And my God will meet all your needs, according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19.
When we come before God, we come before a generous God, a God who loves us. Sometimes life as a Christian isn’t easy but we know that God cares for us and will provide for our needs. So we don’t have to worry.
God is concerned with our here and now. He cares about us and he loves us. His promises are real and he will provide for our needs.
GREEN – GOOD
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." Romans 6:28
That is a great promise for Christians. We know that God will sort things out. When we have worries because things seem to be going wrong we have this promise that God, the omnipotent God who can do all things, has our interests at heart. Those who love God, his children, know that their father God will sort things out.
BLUE – BELIEVE
"If you declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved." Romans 10:9
At baptism we profess our faith but not just then. When we are bold and speak up for Jesus in any situation we are declaring that Jesus is Lord.
Actually, there is an awful lot of evident to show that Jesus did rise from the dead. There’s a book by Josh McDowell called Evidence for the Resurrection - what it means for your relationship with God which examines the compelling evidence that Jesus conquered death and the grave. It might be worth a read if you have any doubts about the resurrection or if you want to find out more. So, in a way, it isn’t so difficult to believe if you actually look at the facts but by confessing the Jesus is Lord and by believing that God raised Jesus from the death the bible promises that we are saved.
INDIGO – IMMANUEL God with us
Immanuel is one of the names of Jesus. It means God with us. There are many times in the bible where God says “I am with you”
"Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous hand." Isaiah 41:10.
Even Jesus’ last words to his disciples before he was taken up to heaven at the ascension were about him being with us.
"Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:19-20
It isn’t just that God sent his son to live amongst us but that even now, he is still with us through his Spirit. He never left us and he never will.
And finally
VIOLET – VICTORY
The bible is full of victory. We have victory over sin, victory over death, victory over all those things that the world throws at us to try and defeat us. In Corinthians we read:
"Where O death is your victory
Where O death is your sting?
The sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:55-57.
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