I have never met a king, or a prince, to my knowledge. With my American background that resists respecting one person over another simply because of his bloodlines, I'm not sure it would matter much to me anyway. I believe that it is the way a person lives that earns honor, not who his father is. Why should someone be given authority because of his DNA? When I see the mess of the House of Windsor (England's royal family) I am quite thankful that I live in a republic where the citizens choose a leader, handing him authority to 'rule' on a temporary basis! If we elect a man to our Presidency who turns out to be a fool, we can turn him out of office in a few years. But, if a monarch sires a fool, he rules anyway- for life! OK, so I'm not much on royalty. But I serve a King! His name? Jesus Christ.
Much is made of His royalty in Mark's Gospel, chapter 15, but not in a good way. We learn that those who dragged Jesus before Pilate, the Roman governor, accused him of rebellion, of claiming authority as the "King of the Jews" that was not truly his in their opinion. Pilate asks Jesus point-blank - "are you the King?" Jesus acknowledged that he was, but not as a rival for Rome's political authority. He said, “I am not an earthly king. If I were, my followers would have fought when I was arrested by the Jewish leaders. But my Kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36, NLT) Later the governor takes Jesus before the mob and asks, "What shall I do with this king?" The tone is obviously one of mockery. The soldiers who took him from Pilate turned sadistic and beat him. Mark says, "They dressed him up in purple and put a crown plaited from a thorn bush on his head. Then they began their mockery: “Bravo, King of the Jews!” (Mark 15:17-18, The Message) The final indignity was the sign that hung above his head on the cross - "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews."
Is He your King - in truth, in honor, and with full authority?
Is He Lord of life, or simply "Lord" of convenience?
The Kingdom of Christ for many is just a matter of talk. They may sing of His reign, say the creed that acknowledges His Kingly authority, but their life shows that they are in contempt of His authority, much in the way that I have little regard for the royals of England. While they are not spitting on Him, nor physically mistreating Him, those who profess to serve Him, but show no submission to Him, are abusing the King much the same as Pilate and his soldiers did. Their lack of submission mocks Him before the world.
He is my King of life! He has complete authority to send me where He will, to use me as He wishes, to make any and all demands of me as His loyal subject. I bow my head, bend my knee, and confess that He is Lord. And He welcomes me into His Kingdom. The crowning moment of my existence will be when I kneel before Him in Heaven.
We are much drawn to the humble Savior whose portrait is painted for us by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John! We love the stories of the Man who was born in a Manger, the Carpenter, the One who took children in His arms, the bleeding Savior of the Cross - and rightfully so. But let us not forget that He is crowned the King and as such, stands to judge the earth! Let us take up His name, serve Him, and make a Kingdom difference in this world - for His honor and glory.Here's the portrait of the King that John paints in the book of the Revelation.
Meditate on the majesty of Jesus as you read his description.
"He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest.
His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow.
And his eyes were bright like flames of fire.
His feet were as bright as bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves.
He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was as bright as the sun in all its brilliance.
When I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.
But he laid his right hand on me and said,
“Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one who died. Look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave." (Revelation 1:12-18, NLT)
Hallelujah, Thine the glory! Hallelujah, Amen!
Friday, April 07, 2006
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Your unique purpose
The Old Testament book of Esther is a curious book in that the name of God is never mentioned in it! In case you're not familiar with the story, here's an outline. The Persian king rids himself of his queen and sets out to choose another wife. A Jewish girl living in that pagan culture is selected as the new queen. A little while later, a plot hatched by Haman, one of the court's noblemen, to rid the kingdom of the Jews is discovered. Mordecai, Esther's uncle and a minor court officer, goes to her and asks her to intercede with the king. Of course, entering the Persian king's presence without an invitation was an offense for which you could be killed. At first, Esther refuses but her uncle sent her these words ... {Esther 4:12-14} When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: "Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"
....and Esther did go to the king, told him about the plot, and saved her people. A pretty and courageous young girl became the person God used to rescue His people!
God has a distinct plan and purpose for YOU. That is a fact that provokes very different responses. To some that is a frightening declaration. Their reaction is something like - "Oh, no. It's too hard to think about that. What if do not fulfill my purpose? I'm not sure I'm ready for this." To others the thought that God has a purpose for their life is exhilarating! "I am a person prepared and called to a place no one else can fill. Wow, that's too wonderful to truly understand, but God use me for your glory!"
If we think God is playing games with us, trying to see if we will fail so He can punish us, we will fear His will! If we understand that He desires success for us, that He has all the resources we need, the adventure of His will is not a thing to dread! The Word tells us that God works with us - "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV) When Jesus told the disciples that they were to go and spread the Message of the Kingdom, He promised, "I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” " (Matthew 28:20, The Message) As the Church was being born, those men and women leaned heavily on the promise of the Lord -"when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”" (Acts 1:8, NLT)
Some of us think that God is like Donald Trump's character on the reality TV program, The Apprentice. The business czar gives young people a very difficult task with minimal resources. Then he calls them into the board room and one of them is fired! That is not the picture I want you to have in mind about the Lord. Instead, I want you to think of Him as a patient Mentor, working with you, developing skills in you, pouring resources into your life - because YOUR SUCCESS in His purposes, ultimately reflects on Him!
Of course, there is a price to live in the purpose of God. It's not all glory! Esther's life, while wonderful in the results she brought about for her people, was full of decisions that cost her dearly. She had to set aside her personal comfort, her ease - and pursue the purpose single-mindedly. So must we! Pray today that the Lord will show you what He wants from you --- at work, in your extended family, at church, in your neighborhood. Your faithfulness could bring about the eternal salvation of someone who has no other person to show them Jesus. Serious, isn't it?
What does He want from you "for such a time as this?"
_____________
Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord to Thee.
Take my hands and let them move,
At the impulse of Thy love,
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
It shall be Thy royal throne.
Take My Life And Let It Be --
Havergal, Frances R. / Malan, Henri A. CesarCopyright: Public Domain
....and Esther did go to the king, told him about the plot, and saved her people. A pretty and courageous young girl became the person God used to rescue His people!
God has a distinct plan and purpose for YOU. That is a fact that provokes very different responses. To some that is a frightening declaration. Their reaction is something like - "Oh, no. It's too hard to think about that. What if do not fulfill my purpose? I'm not sure I'm ready for this." To others the thought that God has a purpose for their life is exhilarating! "I am a person prepared and called to a place no one else can fill. Wow, that's too wonderful to truly understand, but God use me for your glory!"
If we think God is playing games with us, trying to see if we will fail so He can punish us, we will fear His will! If we understand that He desires success for us, that He has all the resources we need, the adventure of His will is not a thing to dread! The Word tells us that God works with us - "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11, NKJV) When Jesus told the disciples that they were to go and spread the Message of the Kingdom, He promised, "I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.” " (Matthew 28:20, The Message) As the Church was being born, those men and women leaned heavily on the promise of the Lord -"when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”" (Acts 1:8, NLT)
Some of us think that God is like Donald Trump's character on the reality TV program, The Apprentice. The business czar gives young people a very difficult task with minimal resources. Then he calls them into the board room and one of them is fired! That is not the picture I want you to have in mind about the Lord. Instead, I want you to think of Him as a patient Mentor, working with you, developing skills in you, pouring resources into your life - because YOUR SUCCESS in His purposes, ultimately reflects on Him!
Of course, there is a price to live in the purpose of God. It's not all glory! Esther's life, while wonderful in the results she brought about for her people, was full of decisions that cost her dearly. She had to set aside her personal comfort, her ease - and pursue the purpose single-mindedly. So must we! Pray today that the Lord will show you what He wants from you --- at work, in your extended family, at church, in your neighborhood. Your faithfulness could bring about the eternal salvation of someone who has no other person to show them Jesus. Serious, isn't it?
What does He want from you "for such a time as this?"
_____________
Take my life and let it be
Consecrated, Lord to Thee.
Take my hands and let them move,
At the impulse of Thy love,
At the impulse of Thy love.
Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.
It shall be Thy royal throne.
Take My Life And Let It Be --
Havergal, Frances R. / Malan, Henri A. CesarCopyright: Public Domain
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
The High Calling
The sordid details of the boy's life were, by turns, tragic and shameful. His testimony before a Congressional committee grabbed the attention of the media. Justin Berry, 19, told of being drawn into Internet pornography, how as a 13 year old boy, he became an object of online exploitation by men from all over the country. I'll spare you the details, but suffice to say, his life was very ugly! The list of those who 'used' him was long, full of people from all walks of life- teachers, lawyers, etc. What they did 'in the dark' became public, much to their shame. Today, the AP carries reports of Brian Doyle, a deputy press secretary with the US Dept. of Homeland Security, being arrested for using his computer to converse with a person he thought was a 14 year old girl in Florida. His explicit sexual conversations were actually happening with an undercover sheriff. Now he is facing trial and public humiliation. I am quite certain that none of Justin Berry's 'clients' nor Brian Doyle expected their actions to become public. They failed to reckon with the consequences of choices made in secret, in the dark! Now, they face disgrace.
Believer, you and I have a high calling in Christ. The Bible challenges us "to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God." (Ephesians 4:1, NLT) We must let the light of Christ shine into every corner of our lives, living openly, staying connected in healthy relationships so that sin will not find any secret, dark places in us where it can hide and grow. We must choose to be in the company of others who call from us the highest and the best! Our focus must always be on honoring the One who has staked His reputation on us, for we are 'Christ's ambassadors.'
Paul was under house arrest in Rome, held on charges that were politically motivated. In that kind of stress, which might have become an excuse for sinful choices, he says, "For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that causes me shame, but that I will always be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past, and that my life will always honor Christ, whether I live or I die." (Philippians 1:20, NLT) What a goal! We all need to share it. The apostle, though human and prone to failure by his own admission, set his sights on living to honor the Lord. Think of the ways that adopting his goal of a Christ-honoring life potentially changes the way we live. Every conversation, every action, every private thought takes on a different dimension when put under the Bright Light of heaven.
When we are tempted to gossip and tear at another's reputation, we need to think - does this honor Christ?
When we are ready to make a choice that bends the rules to fit our selfish agenda, we need to remind ourselves - if this becomes public knowledge, what will others think of my Lord?
When we are at work and feel the desire to just do the minimum, we must remember- I represent the Lord of glory!
"But, Jerry, you're asking me to be perfect!" No, friend, I cannot require that of you, for it is impossible for me! None of us is flawless, nor can we ever be this side of Heaven. However, we must not use the sinful nature as an excuse to indulge ourselves, and so to dishonor the Lord who calls us into His service. As I wrote yesterday, the secret of a holy life is the power of the Spirit, found by inviting Christ Jesus to live in us, transforming us.
Read this passage thoughtfully today.
Pray that God will lead you to live honorably, for Christ's sake.
"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love,
just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity,
or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. ...
Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ...
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:1-16, NIV)
_______________________
I am weak but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I'll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk,
close to Thee.
Through this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord,
None but Thee.
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
Just A Closer Walk With Thee- Public Domain
Believer, you and I have a high calling in Christ. The Bible challenges us "to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God." (Ephesians 4:1, NLT) We must let the light of Christ shine into every corner of our lives, living openly, staying connected in healthy relationships so that sin will not find any secret, dark places in us where it can hide and grow. We must choose to be in the company of others who call from us the highest and the best! Our focus must always be on honoring the One who has staked His reputation on us, for we are 'Christ's ambassadors.'
Paul was under house arrest in Rome, held on charges that were politically motivated. In that kind of stress, which might have become an excuse for sinful choices, he says, "For I live in eager expectation and hope that I will never do anything that causes me shame, but that I will always be bold for Christ, as I have been in the past, and that my life will always honor Christ, whether I live or I die." (Philippians 1:20, NLT) What a goal! We all need to share it. The apostle, though human and prone to failure by his own admission, set his sights on living to honor the Lord. Think of the ways that adopting his goal of a Christ-honoring life potentially changes the way we live. Every conversation, every action, every private thought takes on a different dimension when put under the Bright Light of heaven.
When we are tempted to gossip and tear at another's reputation, we need to think - does this honor Christ?
When we are ready to make a choice that bends the rules to fit our selfish agenda, we need to remind ourselves - if this becomes public knowledge, what will others think of my Lord?
When we are at work and feel the desire to just do the minimum, we must remember- I represent the Lord of glory!
"But, Jerry, you're asking me to be perfect!" No, friend, I cannot require that of you, for it is impossible for me! None of us is flawless, nor can we ever be this side of Heaven. However, we must not use the sinful nature as an excuse to indulge ourselves, and so to dishonor the Lord who calls us into His service. As I wrote yesterday, the secret of a holy life is the power of the Spirit, found by inviting Christ Jesus to live in us, transforming us.
Read this passage thoughtfully today.
Pray that God will lead you to live honorably, for Christ's sake.
"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love,
just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity,
or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. ...
Therefore do not be partners with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord.Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord.
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ...
Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil." (Ephesians 5:1-16, NIV)
_______________________
I am weak but Thou art strong;
Jesus, keep me from all wrong;
I'll be satisfied as long
As I walk, let me walk,
close to Thee.
Through this world of toil and snares,
If I falter, Lord, who cares?
Who with me my burden shares?
None but Thee, dear Lord,
None but Thee.
Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea,
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
Just A Closer Walk With Thee- Public Domain
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
A little bending of the rules
America faces an ethical crisis! Washington, DC has more than the usual amount of politicos on the take these days. News report this morning report that Tom DeLay, once the most powerful legislator in the Congress, will resign under pressure for alleged corruption. A rich lobbyist named Jack Abramoff has spread the wealth in the city to members of both parties. Former executives of Enron, Comcast, WorldCom, and Tyco - major corporations - have been charged with misuse and abuse of position and funds in their companies. Some elements of the military have disgraced themselves with abuse of prisoners in Iraq.
Is all this 'just business as usual' nothing really new? In a sense, yes. Sin is nothing new! From Adam, we've inherited a nature that resists God and good, and despite our highest intentions, we all fail too often. I join with Paul often in bemoaning the gap between my actions and my intentions. In Romans 7, he writes -For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. "
That said, I am convinced that our nation, as a whole, has lost her moral compass! For far too many people right and wrong is more about 'getting caught,' than being guided by absolute principle. Many of us have re-interpreted the Ten Commandments to be the Ten Recommendations! Being sexually pure, staying honest when tempted by a sweet insider deal, treating others with dignity are not seen as universally binding and morally right choices by many of us. Instead we regard those as ideals, but will readily discard them if presented an opportunity to 'bend the rules' without being caught.
So what's the answer? The common response to malfeasance is to write more rules, or to stiffen the penalties for offenders. This is what our society has done. But is it working? I'll let you decide after I tell you that more than 2,000,000 of us are currently in prison! As a percentage of population, the US has the highest incarceration rate in the world! We all know that despite the proliferation of policies at the places where we work- policies that attempt to tell us how to relate to people of other religions and races, to define relationships between the sexes, and to establish boundaries for all kinds of behavior; things still go wrong! Yes, Paul nailed the problem - "Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me everytime."
The only real and lasting answer is for a transformation of heart and mind by the power of the Spirit of God. The conscience, battered and broken and weakened, needs to be healed by the touch of God. In Romans, chapters 7 and 8, Paul continues from despair to hope -- "I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved.
Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death."
This is truly what Christians celebrate at this wonderful time of the year. The new life that is much bally-hooed isn't about flowers blooming or rabbit populations proliferating! It is the emergence of a new spirit in us, one that loves God's ways, that triumphs over selfishness and sensuality. The Bible says that by the Power of the Spirit we live new, raised like Christ, to overcome the world, and thus become people who live with integrity in the beauty of true holiness.
Here's a promise to ponder. As you meditate on this Word- ask yourself,
"Is the beauty of real holiness evident in my life? Do I love God's ways and demonstrate the life of Christ in my thoughts, words, and actions?"
"Here is the new agreement that I, the Lord, will make with the people of Israel: “I will write my laws on their hearts and minds. I will be their God, and they will be my people. “No longer will they have to teach one another to obey me. I, the Lord, promise that all of them will obey me..." (Jeremiah 31:33-34, CEV)
Is all this 'just business as usual' nothing really new? In a sense, yes. Sin is nothing new! From Adam, we've inherited a nature that resists God and good, and despite our highest intentions, we all fail too often. I join with Paul often in bemoaning the gap between my actions and my intentions. In Romans 7, he writes -For if I know the law but still can’t keep it, and if the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don’t have what it takes. I can will it, but I can’t do it. I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time. "
That said, I am convinced that our nation, as a whole, has lost her moral compass! For far too many people right and wrong is more about 'getting caught,' than being guided by absolute principle. Many of us have re-interpreted the Ten Commandments to be the Ten Recommendations! Being sexually pure, staying honest when tempted by a sweet insider deal, treating others with dignity are not seen as universally binding and morally right choices by many of us. Instead we regard those as ideals, but will readily discard them if presented an opportunity to 'bend the rules' without being caught.
So what's the answer? The common response to malfeasance is to write more rules, or to stiffen the penalties for offenders. This is what our society has done. But is it working? I'll let you decide after I tell you that more than 2,000,000 of us are currently in prison! As a percentage of population, the US has the highest incarceration rate in the world! We all know that despite the proliferation of policies at the places where we work- policies that attempt to tell us how to relate to people of other religions and races, to define relationships between the sexes, and to establish boundaries for all kinds of behavior; things still go wrong! Yes, Paul nailed the problem - "Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me everytime."
The only real and lasting answer is for a transformation of heart and mind by the power of the Spirit of God. The conscience, battered and broken and weakened, needs to be healed by the touch of God. In Romans, chapters 7 and 8, Paul continues from despair to hope -- "I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question?
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.With the arrival of Jesus, the Messiah, that fateful dilemma is resolved.
Those who enter into Christ’s being-here-for-us no longer have to live under a continuous, low-lying black cloud. A new power is in operation. The Spirit of life in Christ, like a strong wind, has magnificently cleared the air, freeing you from a fated lifetime of brutal tyranny at the hands of sin and death."
This is truly what Christians celebrate at this wonderful time of the year. The new life that is much bally-hooed isn't about flowers blooming or rabbit populations proliferating! It is the emergence of a new spirit in us, one that loves God's ways, that triumphs over selfishness and sensuality. The Bible says that by the Power of the Spirit we live new, raised like Christ, to overcome the world, and thus become people who live with integrity in the beauty of true holiness.
Here's a promise to ponder. As you meditate on this Word- ask yourself,
"Is the beauty of real holiness evident in my life? Do I love God's ways and demonstrate the life of Christ in my thoughts, words, and actions?"
"Here is the new agreement that I, the Lord, will make with the people of Israel: “I will write my laws on their hearts and minds. I will be their God, and they will be my people. “No longer will they have to teach one another to obey me. I, the Lord, promise that all of them will obey me..." (Jeremiah 31:33-34, CEV)
Monday, April 03, 2006
The Christ-deniers
They're at it again! Those who despise the message of Jesus, crucified and risen Lord, Son of God, are trying hard to sow doubt. The DaVinci Code, the best-selling novel and soon to be released movie, though fiction, is being treated by many as a work based on good scholarship. The book, if you don't know, is created around the theory that Jesus didn't really die, was married to Mary Magdalene, and left heirs on earth! The author gets most of his facts completely wrong. Last night on NBC's Dateline, an author, Michael Biagent, who wrote The Jesus Papers, claimed that the Vatican possesses documents that prove Jesus' death and resurrection were concocted events, parts of an elaborate hoax. When pressed for details, he dodged and weaved, looking like he had more to cover-up than the Vatican! I guess it happens in every generation. When I was college-age, the big 'scandal' in Christianity, the book by Dr. Hugh Schonfield that 'proved' the faith to be based on a lie, The Passover Plot, swept the country, was turned into a movie, and disappeared after generating tons of media exposure and making its author wealthy!
The Truth is that He lived, He died, and He rose again. Billions have believed it and the resulting transformation of their lives is proof enough for me of the veracity of the Greatest Story ever told. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John base their accounts on either their own experience, or the first-hand reports they received. They weren't piecing together fragments of conspiracy theories, from scraps of information derived from whispers in dark places and documents no one has ever seen. They related stories from their own time, writing of a Man that they knew, telling us what they knew to be true.
So why do books that deny that Jesus is Who the Scripture says He is get written?
I imagine a primary reason is greed. The subject grabs an audience and has the potential to create best-sellers.
But, there is a more sinister reason, too. The Evil One does not want men and women to know the life-changing Truth. So, he finds those who worship their own wisdom and uses their pseudo-intellectualism to tear at the amazing story.
The wonder of Christianity is the Resurrection! Take away the fact that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died for sins and was raised by the power of God, and all you're left with is a story of Jewish teacher whose radical ideas about God and human relationships got him killed. Christianity does not exist apart from the Resurrection. It isn't just a pastor from the 21st century, reflecting over 2 millennia of the faith who makes that claim. Paul, writing about 25 years after Jesus' death and resurrection knew the importance of that pivotal truth. He writes-- ".... if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless, and you are still under condemnation for your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ have perished!" (1 Corinthians 15:16-18, NLT)
We, who are Believers, are not just implementing a new code of ethics given to us by a Teacher. We are not just trying out a different philosophy left to us by a hopeless Idealist. We are receiving Life by the Presence of the Living Spirit of God, because Jesus Christ settled the old debt with God, the Father, that kept men and women apart from Him. "But the truth is that Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going to leave the cemeteries. There is a nice symmetry in this: Death initially came by a man, and resurrection from death came by a man. Everybody dies in Adam; everybody comes alive in Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:20-22, The Message)
The old hymn says, "you ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart!" Perhaps it strikes you as somewhat disingenuous that I would appeal to my own experience. Maybe you're inclined to say, "But, Jerry, what if you're just self-deceived?" If I am, I am in very good company, tricked right along with billions of people by a 'lie' (Biagent's word, not mine!) that has managed to survive rigorous inquiries for 2000 years! No, I am not deceived. I am not the victim of wishful thinking. I've believed a true report, experienced the power of the Spirit of God, and live in the sure hope of Life eternal.
Take this word from the Word with you this week!
"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart." (1 Peter 1:18-22, NIV)
The Truth is that He lived, He died, and He rose again. Billions have believed it and the resulting transformation of their lives is proof enough for me of the veracity of the Greatest Story ever told. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John base their accounts on either their own experience, or the first-hand reports they received. They weren't piecing together fragments of conspiracy theories, from scraps of information derived from whispers in dark places and documents no one has ever seen. They related stories from their own time, writing of a Man that they knew, telling us what they knew to be true.
So why do books that deny that Jesus is Who the Scripture says He is get written?
I imagine a primary reason is greed. The subject grabs an audience and has the potential to create best-sellers.
But, there is a more sinister reason, too. The Evil One does not want men and women to know the life-changing Truth. So, he finds those who worship their own wisdom and uses their pseudo-intellectualism to tear at the amazing story.
The wonder of Christianity is the Resurrection! Take away the fact that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died for sins and was raised by the power of God, and all you're left with is a story of Jewish teacher whose radical ideas about God and human relationships got him killed. Christianity does not exist apart from the Resurrection. It isn't just a pastor from the 21st century, reflecting over 2 millennia of the faith who makes that claim. Paul, writing about 25 years after Jesus' death and resurrection knew the importance of that pivotal truth. He writes-- ".... if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless, and you are still under condemnation for your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ have perished!" (1 Corinthians 15:16-18, NLT)
We, who are Believers, are not just implementing a new code of ethics given to us by a Teacher. We are not just trying out a different philosophy left to us by a hopeless Idealist. We are receiving Life by the Presence of the Living Spirit of God, because Jesus Christ settled the old debt with God, the Father, that kept men and women apart from Him. "But the truth is that Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going to leave the cemeteries. There is a nice symmetry in this: Death initially came by a man, and resurrection from death came by a man. Everybody dies in Adam; everybody comes alive in Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:20-22, The Message)
The old hymn says, "you ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart!" Perhaps it strikes you as somewhat disingenuous that I would appeal to my own experience. Maybe you're inclined to say, "But, Jerry, what if you're just self-deceived?" If I am, I am in very good company, tricked right along with billions of people by a 'lie' (Biagent's word, not mine!) that has managed to survive rigorous inquiries for 2000 years! No, I am not deceived. I am not the victim of wishful thinking. I've believed a true report, experienced the power of the Spirit of God, and live in the sure hope of Life eternal.
Take this word from the Word with you this week!
"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart." (1 Peter 1:18-22, NIV)
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