The Perfect Enemy
The Perfect Enemy
Steve Huskey • May 14, 2023
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Rebellion
Retribution
8. He also released a dove to see if the water had receded and it could find dry ground.
9. But the dove could find no place to land because the water still covered the ground. So it returned to the boat, and Noah held out his hand and drew the dove back inside.
10. After waiting another seven days, Noah released the dove again.
11. This time the dove returned to him in the evening with a fresh olive leaf in its beak. Then Noah knew that the floodwaters were almost gone.
12. He waited another seven days and then released the dove again. This time it did not come back.
21. And the Lord was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice and said to himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood. I will never again destroy all living things.
Reconciliation
21. One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened,
22. and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.”
Redemption
14. For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us.
15. He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people from the two groups.
16. Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death.
17. He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near.
18. Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
“We should be people who pursue redemption over retribution.”
