The Kiss of a Prostitute
A man and his wife had a yard sale. They had decided to put out a mirror they’d received as a wedding gift. The reason they were selling it was that it had a gaudy aqua-colored metal frame and they just couldn’t find a room in their house where it looked good.
Shortly after the sale began, a man bought the mirror for one dollar. He was all excited, and he said as he bought it: “This is a great deal - it still has the plastic on it.” Then he peeled off the aqua-colored protective covering… to reveal a beautiful gold finished frame underneath.
Lots of people go to garage sales looking for bargains just like that. Some people have a saying about garage sales: "One man’s trash is another man’s treasure," The belief is that once in a while you’ll stumble upon a treasure that the owner doesn’t know the value of.
Jesus had been preaching Galilee for nearly a year now and He’s a very popular man, particularly amongst the common people. Already He has healed a leper, a paralytic and dozens of other people. He has even cast out demons and raised a widow’s son from the dead. And all this has taken place before the event we see recorded here in Luke 7:36 “One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to have dinner with him, so Jesus went to his home and sat down to eat.”
Everybody loved Jesus. Well… almost everybody. The Pharisees actually hated Him. He didn’t pander to their crowd, and occasionally He said things that ruffled their feathers and challenged their man made rules.
They don’t like Him, but they’re not sure how to handle Him. They’ve tried ignoring Him.
They’ve tried publicly opposing Him. And they’ve tried entrapping Him in doctrinal disputes. Nothing seems to work.
But now - Simon the Pharisee believes he’s found the way to take Jesus out. A way he believes will humiliate this new teacher and render His influence useless.
Simon invites Jesus to a meal – and then he snubs Him. Good manners in that day required the host to have his servant wash the guest’s feet. That servant was then expected to anoint his visitor’s head with oil. All that was handled through a servant. However, Simon did none of this for Jesus.
But why go to all the trouble invited this new teacher to your home, putting on a lavish meal and perhaps even opening your home to the community so that they can come and observe him… and then insult Jesus in front of everybody?
Simon’s objective was to get under Jesus’ skin. To throw Him off balance. He intended to goad Jesus into making a statement or behaving in such a way that he could then use to embarrass Him and use against Jesus.
Now, Jesus knew Simon’s behavior was intended as an insult. He knew Simon’s heart. In our own experience, we’ve probably had people treat us rudely too, and we probably haven’t always responded well to it. Even though we are a Christian, there was something galling about being mistreated in this way and sometimes our anger just takes over.
We’ve all encountered this at one time or another and we’ve said things we shouldn’t or… behaved in a less than gracious manner. Even Jesus could have been “tempted” to respond badly to this pettiness by Simon, too. But He didn’t!
How could Jesus overlook his slight by Simon. He could overlook it because He knew WHO He was.
Who was Jesus? (Son of God). Jesus had walked the streets of heaven and had thousands upon thousands of angels at His beck and call. Compared to that, Simon was simply a fly speck on the wall. Jesus didn’t need Simon’s approval or acceptance.
In the same way, we can rise above such pettiness in this world if we remember who WE are. We are the children of God. Jesus came to die for us. And we have an inheritance in heaven that many will never see. Compared to that, all this world’s approval means nothing.
When reading of how Jesus behaved in this setting, it’s valuable for us to remember that Jesus NOT ONLY came to give us life. He also came to show us how to live that life. In this situation, He simply ignored Simon’s behavior. He refused to give Simon the satisfaction of even commenting about this treatment.
But then something changed. A woman entered the room. She wasn’t the kind of woman you’d ordinarily invite to nice party. She was a streetwalker, a prostitute, a pavement princess. In our culture you can tell a prostitute by way she dresses she’d be wearing a short skirt, high heels, fishnet hose, and a low cut blouse. But in that day, she’d have been dressed just like most others… …except she’d be wearing very expensive perfume. Some have said that prostitutes of that day wore a vial of perfume by a cord around their neck. In a culture where bathing was infrequent, a pleasant fragrance would’ve been her stock in trade.
And now here she is at Simon’s home. She’s unescorted, uninvited, unwanted. What’s she doing there? Luke 7:37 tells us that she “heard he was eating there”.
Perhaps her jar of perfume was a gift for Jesus. Maybe she slipped in through the side door, hoping to be unnoticed standing quietly behind Jesus, waiting to catch His attention, present her gift… and then leave.
BUT then she begins to weep. This was probably not in her original plans. But there was something about being this close to Jesus that simply overwhelmed her.
It is quite possible that she was a lot like people we know today who come to church. They don’t come because they love Jesus, but because they are fulfilling some sense of religious duty. BUT while they are there something about Jesus gets thru to them, and suddenly they sense how shabby their lives are. How much emptiness lies within them.
And now, here stands this woman behind Jesus. Something breaks within her and the tears begin to flow.
Her tears literally fall on Jesus’ unwashed feet and leave streaks in the dirt and grime Simon has refused to wash away
In her embarrassment she falls to her knees and begins to wipe his feet with her hair. Then she pours perfume from her jar onto his feet. Its aroma fills the room. And she kisses his feet.
Uh Oh! Simon has been watching this little drama unfold. We can almost see him… smile. “Gotcha… I’ve gotcha Jesus! This man claims to be a prophet, but He doesn’t even know who this woman is that’s wiping His feet with her hair. He doesn’t know that the perfume she’s poured on Him is part of what she uses in her foul occupation… I’ve got him.”All Simon has to do to destroy Jesus… is destroy this woman. To expose her for what she is in front of all of his guests.
You know, self-righteousness is an ugly thing. It puts a nasty “aqua colored” film over a person’s eyes and makes it so they can’t see the inner value in other’s souls. Self-righteousness like Simon’s is the type that scorns tears, laughs at repentance, mocks mercy. His is the attitude of the school yard bully that just knows he’s better than you are and he has every intention of reminding you of that. We can be sure as Simon is watching this woman kneel at Jesus’ feet he’s thinking of some sharp, ugly comment to make that would embarrass this woman, and Jesus with her.
Jesus can handle insults against his own character. But He’s not about to put up with an arrogant attack on this woman’s sorrow. With the precision of a surgeon Jesus proceeds to cut Simon to his heart and reveal the hypocrisy that lay within. He knew Simon’s thoughts:
39 When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know what kind of woman is touching him. She’s a sinner!” 40 Then Jesus answered his thoughts. “Simon,” he said to the Pharisee, “I have something to say to you.” “Go ahead, Teacher,” Simon replied. 41 Then Jesus told him this story: “A man loaned money to two people—500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?” (Luke 7:41-42)
Simon just couldn’t help himself. He was a good Pharisee and he just couldn’t help showing his wisdom to this upstart teacher. So he responded: 43 Simon answered, “I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt.” “That’s right,” Jesus said. (Luke 7: 43b)
Then Jesus literally turned His back on Simon and faced the woman. He turned away from the judgmental, self-righteousness of the Pharisee toward the simple repentance of this woman.
“Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, “Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn’t offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You didn’t greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume.” (Luke 7:44-46)
And then Jesus says,, 47 “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love.” 48 Then Jesus said to the woman, “Your sins are forgiven.” 49 The men at the table said among themselves, “Who is this man, that he goes around forgiving sins?” 50 And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:47-49)
He who has been forgiven little, loves little. What a scathing comment. Simon was a man who never felt the need for much forgiveness and therefore felt little love for those who did.
Sometimes we will see this in churches of today. It usually happens in older congregations where people go to church there because their grandfather did. Their daddy had been an Elder or their mother had been the piano player. And these folks regard this as “their church.” It’s not just the church they go to… it’s literally “THEIR” church. It belongs to them. And they’re not about to let anyone be part of that congregation that doesn’t measure up to their standards.
Jesus told Simon: “I tell you, her sins—and they are many—have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love.” (Luke 7:47) How can we know that she loved much? Because she when she kissed Jesus’ feet, she got down on her knees. She knelt before Jesus because He was righteous… she wasn’t. She LOVED JESUS.
But, of course, Simon didn’t. That’s what Simon revealed when he refused to kiss Jesus.
There are people like that today. They don’t want to kiss Jesus. He’s not important to them.
And there are others who are willing to kiss Jesus… but they do so as if He were an equal. Not as their God, but as an acquaintance who they can listen to if they like, but ignore if they choose.
But then there are those who kiss Jesus in the way this sinful woman did. They know they’ve sinned and fallen short. And they realize the only proper way to approach Christ is to kneel before Him and give Him the love He deserves because He has forgiven so much.
When Simon the Pharisee looked on this woman, all he saw was a prostitute. She was a streetwalker. A gaudy, pitiful excuse for a woman. That’s all she was – all she’d ever be, and she was never going to change. When Simon looked on her in his house, all he saw was a prostitute.
When Jesus looked on such women He didn’t see them as they were. He saw them as they could be.
To Jesus, sin has always been an ugly aqua colored film that hides the true beauty underneath.
It’s an aqua colored filth that needs stripped away to reveal the image of God that it has clouded.
When we humble ourselves at the feet of Jesus – when we acknowledge our sin and emptiness, then Jesus takes away film of sin and remake us in way God intended
Monday, March 18, 2013
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Listening to that Still, Small Voice
Listening to that Still, Small Voice
Introduction: Let’s, just for a moment, look at scripture from Luke 5:1-3. “One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.” Okay, now Jesus is in a boat “preaching” to a “great crowd”. Did you ever stop to think about how they all heard him? I think I would be correct in saying that this was before mikes and amplifiers. And not even a “jumbotron”. Now today many preachers really raise their voices when preaching and especially when emphasizing a point. And the ones that don’t have great sound systems to reach the crowds. How many of you think that Jesus was a “loud” preacher? My opinion is that He never raised His voice. I think that he just talked to the people in a kind, soft voice. I can’t prove this from scripture so this is just “Haywardology”. But, back to point I want to make – how did all these people hear Jesus? Do you think it is possible that the Holy Spirit may have played a part in this? Hmmm.
Okay, on to lesson:
Following God can sometimes appear to be confusing.
Because sometimes, he tells us in big, bold, you-can’t-miss messages what it is he’s doing and how he wants us to follow him or where he wants us to go next. Sometimes it’s just incredibly, refreshingly, undoubtedly obvious. Psalms 29:4 tells us that “The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic.”.
But then there are those times when you pray and you pray and you just don’t know what he wants you to do next or whether he’s speaking to you. When you try everything you can think of to hear what he’s saying to you, and the line just continues to be silent. However we can be assured He hears based on what Apostle John tells us, “….we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.” (1 John 5:14-15).
There are times in our life when we feel absolutely certain that we know exactly what God was telling us to do. When Scripture lined up with our heart’s desire, when we were overwhelmed by an only-from-God sense of peace about a decision, when words of confirmation came raining down on us in every direction. Paul writes in his letter to the church at Corinth that “God is not a God of disorder (confusion) but of peace…”. (1 Corinthians 14:33a) We need to remember that God does not try to confuse us. Most of our “confusion” or disorder comes from us because we are not good at listening.
Yet, those times, when it almost seems like God had a bullhorn he was using to keep our attention, are exceedingly rare, especially the longer and further we go in our faith.
In the Old Testament we’re introduced to the idea that God exists not in the wind or the earthquake or the fire but instead in a quiet whisper. God told Elijah, “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. (1 Kings 19:11-12) The KJV Bible translates this as “a still small voice.”
There’s a comfort in this, that even when God isn’t banging on a drum or blasting a trumpet in our ear, he’s still reaching out and leading and guiding us. He’s still speaking to us and beckoning us, it’s just with a more subtle approach. Sometimes, he’s just waiting for us to stop, listen and—this can almost be the hardest part—trust that still, small voice.
Because with such a still, small voice, sometimes it isn’t clear or obvious that what we’re hearing or thinking is from God. What if it’s from me? Even worse, what if it’s from Satan?
Fortunately, though, Jesus tells us that “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. (John 10:27-29)
Through much of Scripture, we see this assurance that, like the psalmist wrote, “You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.” (Psalm 73:24)
Sometimes we just have to trust that if we are following God and obeying him and loving him and reaping the fruits of the Spirit, that he is guiding us and speaking to us—even when all we’re getting is the faintest whisper and an inkling of what to do next.
For many of us, it’s a matter of taking the Lord at his Word—literally, trusting that these things he’s said in Scripture are true—and then taking the step to be “faithful with little,” like we see in the parable of the talents (Luke 19).
What this means is that when some vague idea to serve Him or to follow Him or to reach out and show love to another comes to mind—assuming it is not violating Scripture or the fruits of the Spirit—then we choose to trust that it is from the Lord and take a step in faith to pursue it.
For instance, have any of you ever had a “feeling” that you needed to call someone maybe you haven’t spoken with in some time, maybe send a FB message encouraging a friend (maybe not a close friend, just a casual one), maybe said a kind word to a stranger. etc. Maybe you just feel the need to lift up someone in prayer. Now these are simple but important.
When we do these things, we may never know if our action had any effect on this person. But that’s not really the point.
The point is that we choose to credit the idea to the Lord and to take it as an opportunity to, in one tiny way, follow and obey him. Because, as he said while he was here on earth, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me.” (John 14:23-24)
So in this instance—and many others—where we have a vague notion of serving Him in some—often seemingly random—way but we’re not certain whether it’s truly from the Holy Spirit, we can make the choice to trust that it is.
This can be our attempt to be “faithful with little”—and trust the rest to Him.
Introduction: Let’s, just for a moment, look at scripture from Luke 5:1-3. “One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.” Okay, now Jesus is in a boat “preaching” to a “great crowd”. Did you ever stop to think about how they all heard him? I think I would be correct in saying that this was before mikes and amplifiers. And not even a “jumbotron”. Now today many preachers really raise their voices when preaching and especially when emphasizing a point. And the ones that don’t have great sound systems to reach the crowds. How many of you think that Jesus was a “loud” preacher? My opinion is that He never raised His voice. I think that he just talked to the people in a kind, soft voice. I can’t prove this from scripture so this is just “Haywardology”. But, back to point I want to make – how did all these people hear Jesus? Do you think it is possible that the Holy Spirit may have played a part in this? Hmmm.
Okay, on to lesson:
Following God can sometimes appear to be confusing.
Because sometimes, he tells us in big, bold, you-can’t-miss messages what it is he’s doing and how he wants us to follow him or where he wants us to go next. Sometimes it’s just incredibly, refreshingly, undoubtedly obvious. Psalms 29:4 tells us that “The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is majestic.”.
But then there are those times when you pray and you pray and you just don’t know what he wants you to do next or whether he’s speaking to you. When you try everything you can think of to hear what he’s saying to you, and the line just continues to be silent. However we can be assured He hears based on what Apostle John tells us, “….we are confident that he hears us whenever we ask for anything that pleases him.” (1 John 5:14-15).
There are times in our life when we feel absolutely certain that we know exactly what God was telling us to do. When Scripture lined up with our heart’s desire, when we were overwhelmed by an only-from-God sense of peace about a decision, when words of confirmation came raining down on us in every direction. Paul writes in his letter to the church at Corinth that “God is not a God of disorder (confusion) but of peace…”. (1 Corinthians 14:33a) We need to remember that God does not try to confuse us. Most of our “confusion” or disorder comes from us because we are not good at listening.
Yet, those times, when it almost seems like God had a bullhorn he was using to keep our attention, are exceedingly rare, especially the longer and further we go in our faith.
In the Old Testament we’re introduced to the idea that God exists not in the wind or the earthquake or the fire but instead in a quiet whisper. God told Elijah, “Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the LORD told him. And as Elijah stood there, the LORD passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. 12 And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. (1 Kings 19:11-12) The KJV Bible translates this as “a still small voice.”
There’s a comfort in this, that even when God isn’t banging on a drum or blasting a trumpet in our ear, he’s still reaching out and leading and guiding us. He’s still speaking to us and beckoning us, it’s just with a more subtle approach. Sometimes, he’s just waiting for us to stop, listen and—this can almost be the hardest part—trust that still, small voice.
Because with such a still, small voice, sometimes it isn’t clear or obvious that what we’re hearing or thinking is from God. What if it’s from me? Even worse, what if it’s from Satan?
Fortunately, though, Jesus tells us that “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. (John 10:27-29)
Through much of Scripture, we see this assurance that, like the psalmist wrote, “You guide me with your counsel, leading me to a glorious destiny.” (Psalm 73:24)
Sometimes we just have to trust that if we are following God and obeying him and loving him and reaping the fruits of the Spirit, that he is guiding us and speaking to us—even when all we’re getting is the faintest whisper and an inkling of what to do next.
For many of us, it’s a matter of taking the Lord at his Word—literally, trusting that these things he’s said in Scripture are true—and then taking the step to be “faithful with little,” like we see in the parable of the talents (Luke 19).
What this means is that when some vague idea to serve Him or to follow Him or to reach out and show love to another comes to mind—assuming it is not violating Scripture or the fruits of the Spirit—then we choose to trust that it is from the Lord and take a step in faith to pursue it.
For instance, have any of you ever had a “feeling” that you needed to call someone maybe you haven’t spoken with in some time, maybe send a FB message encouraging a friend (maybe not a close friend, just a casual one), maybe said a kind word to a stranger. etc. Maybe you just feel the need to lift up someone in prayer. Now these are simple but important.
When we do these things, we may never know if our action had any effect on this person. But that’s not really the point.
The point is that we choose to credit the idea to the Lord and to take it as an opportunity to, in one tiny way, follow and obey him. Because, as he said while he was here on earth, “All who love me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and we will come and make our home with each of them. Anyone who doesn’t love me will not obey me.” (John 14:23-24)
So in this instance—and many others—where we have a vague notion of serving Him in some—often seemingly random—way but we’re not certain whether it’s truly from the Holy Spirit, we can make the choice to trust that it is.
This can be our attempt to be “faithful with little”—and trust the rest to Him.
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Reasons We Don't Share Our Story/Faith
The lesson today is a follow up to last week's lesson about telling our "story".
Let's face it. As Christians, we all know, by now, that we are supposed to share our faith. Most of us have heard countless sermons on the importance of evangelizing. But . . . most of us don't take the time to do it. Or we do, but not nearly as much as we should. So what's the problem? Why don't Christians share the good news of the gospel message? Paul writes to Timothy, “So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. ….. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer …. for the sake of the Good News. For God saved us and called us to live a holy life. He did this, not because we deserved it, but because that was his plan from before the beginning of time—to show us his grace through Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 1:8-9
Looking at my own life, I know that I personally have been disobedience in this area. It should be a high priority and easy to do --- but it is not always. So today let’s look at five reasons we aren't more vocal about telling others what we ourselves believe:
1) We don't share our faith because we don't realize we have a mission. The command to follow Christ as a disciple (for the record disciple means “follower” and not always referring to the 12 Apostles.), as an ambassador, as a proclaimer of the good news is just that . . . a command. Jesus Himself said, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.” (Matthew 28:18-20) And yet if we were honest, most of the time we treat our mission in this world as something that is optional. We look at the calling of a Christian, “you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24), as something we should do, if we have time. We don't take our mission seriously. Or we think that perhaps this mission was given only to a select few specialists, such as the pastor or the missionary. This is why the world hardly notices a difference between God's people and the rest of the world. We are so preoccupied with our own well-being, our own survival or success, that we blow off the mission of God. Now the Bible does say in Ephesians 4:11-12 “…these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.” But notice the phrase “equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church”. This means all of us are to do God’s work!
2) We don't share our faith because we misunderstand our mission. Even if we want to obey the sending mission of God, we often fail because we misunderstand the mission. It is highly likely that much of the fear that keeps Christians from sharing the good news of the gospel with their friends and neighbors and coworkers stems from a confusion of two things: method and message. Sometimes we confuse the method with the message. So does to evangelize mean to dump the entire book of Romans (the Roman Road) on an unsuspecting mall clerk or does it mean reciting a memorized spiel of the steps to salvation or knock on the door of a stranger and ask if they know the Lord. But while this methods can work so can be good--they change with the audience. This type of “sharing the Gospel” will not always work with all people. Paul knew this and so he didn't necessarily try out the same method on every people group. He writes in 1 Corinthians 9:19-22, “When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. …….. When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. ….. When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.”
When we put so much confidence in a few Christianese phrases and memorized, out-of-context verses, we end up sounding like a salesman for something we don't really want to sell. Much of the fear would go away if we, instead, relied on the Holy Spirit to guide us in each interaction, if we resisted impatience, and worked to build long-term relationships that can one day lead to a person into a relationship with Jesus.. What if we were so in love with the gospel message, if we never lost our awe and wonder, if we made it a lifetime study? Perhaps that passion would so fill our souls that it would leak out into every single sphere of life and thus . . . the good news would be less of a canned pitch and more of a lifestyle. The gospel is good news, after all. Paul writes to the church in Romans, “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.” (Romans 1:16) And we shouldn’t be ashamed of it either.
3) We don't share our faith because we misunderstand the Holy Spirit's mission. Many evangelistic methods, while good and helpful and fruitful, put an emphasis on "closing the deal." We mistakenly think that it is the cleverness of our methods that turns a soul from death to life. But it is the Holy Spirit who does the work of us becoming a “new creation”, it is God who saves people, not mere men. “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. (Romans 8:14) Our job is to explain, to share, to proclaim and then we must trust the Spirit to do the work we cannot do. We need to be careful here, because part of our mission is to persuade to encourage, to call people to repentance and faith. Yet it is God who saves, always. Every time. Releasing ourselves from the pressure to "close the deal" and "make the sale" allows us to be faithful. It releases us from the our human way of thinking that wrongly puts confidence in a certain method. It often takes several contacts in a person's life before the Spirit helps them understand the message of the Gospel. Sometimes you may be the person present when someone trusts Christ and in doing so, you see the harvest of many years of careful work by others. And at times it may be that your first conversation with an unbeliever is just the mustard seed that the Spirit implants in their heart, a seed that others will water and see brought to full flower. This is just as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:6, “I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow.”
4) We don't share our faith because we misunderstand what it means to be a friend of the world. There is a certain tension in Scripture. On the one hand we are called to be different from the world. We are called to live above the world. We are citizens of another kingdom. Christians should live and think and act differently than nonChristians. And yet, we are called to go into the world and make disciples of Jesus. Jesus, right before His ascension to Heaven told his disciples “…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) We are to bring the gospel to the farthest reaches of the planet. Sometimes we put such an emphasis on our difference that we intentionally avoid unbelievers. But while we are called to live differently, we are also called to live among the lost of the world. If we are really on mission in our communities, if our commission from the Lord is to spread the fame of his name among all peoples, we need to start making intentional connections. It's hard to share Christ with people we don't actually know. It's hard to love people from a distance. As our culture becomes more and more post-Christian, it will become even more important for Christians to develop intentional relationships with unbelievers. It's pretty difficult to obey the Great Commission if we are never actually exposed to people who don't know Jesus.
5) We don't share our faith because we are ashamed of our identity. Christians should be wise to articulate the gospel in the way that most suits their audience. “The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. the decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.” (Psalm 19:17) But even if we perfectly "get out of the way" of the gospel, there is a point where the cross of Christ becomes a point of conflict. Some will embrace the message of salvation and others will reject it. And sometimes our refusal to evangelize is tied to our desire to be liked by the people who may not like Jesus. We don't want to be social martyrs. We don't want to be uncool. We don't want to lose friendships and alienate important people. So we stay silent. But the call of the gospel is the call to come and die, the call to give up our prestige, our desire to be affirmed by the world. We shouldn't be obnoxious jerks or as I like to say “holier than thou” folks.. We should be kind, loving, gracious, giving, generous. But we can sometimes do all these things and still be considered a backwards bigot, simply for loving Jesus. It's a question of what we value. Do we value the limitless grace of the gospel that brought us from the enslavement of sin to the arms of the Father or do we value our own fleeting approval by world system? The way to get motivated to share the good news is not by guilt or manipulation, but by plunging once again into the heart of the very gospel itself.
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14)
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Telling Your Story - Contagious Christianity
Telling Your Story - Contagious Christianity
Most of us have heard that being a “preacher’s kid” can be difficult for a young child. A preacher’s little boy who was told by his mother that he should wash his hands because there were germs living in all the dirt he’d been playing in. He looked up at his mother and got this really disgusted look on his face. “Germs? Germs?” He said. “Germs and Jesus! Germs and Jesus! That’s all I ever hear around this house! And I’ve never seen either one!”
At that young age, that little boy wasn’t sure he was comfortable believing in something that he hadn’t seen. A lot of people are like that.
Remember how Thomas reacted to the news that Jesus had risen from the dead? John 20:25 tells us that Thomas told the other disciples, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
Thomas had difficulty believing in something he had not seen and touched.
John wrote “….. what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3)
Now, you’d think that it would be easier for us if we, like the Apostle John here, could claim to have seen and touched and heard Jesus. You’d think that it would be easier for us to convince people about Jesus if we ourselves had actually seen and touched and heard Jesus.
But the Gospels repeatedly point out that even when people PERSONALLY SAW the miraculous power of Jesus, they still rejected Him. Even when they heard from the lips of those who had personally seen Jesus they still would not believe. Being an eye-witness to Jesus did NOT make it easier to convince people to become Christians.
Lee Strobe, in his book “Inside the Mind of Unchurched Harry and Mary”, maintained that the unchurched aren’t necessarily looking for miracles and appearances of Christ.
• The unchurched haven’t necessarily rejected God - they’ve rejected “church.”
• Many of them are morally adrift, but they secretly want an anchor.
• They often don’t understand Christianity, but they’re also ignorant about what they claim to believe in.
• Often they’re not so much concerned with the question of “Is Christianity true?” Instead, they’re more concerned with “Does Christianity work and how can I experience it?”
In other words, just like the people in John’s day… the unchurched today want to hear about what YOU’VE seen…
what YOU’VE touched…
what YOU’VE heard
They want to know if it works for you.
A woman put an ad in the local paper: “Lost 50 pounds! Selling my fat clothes – they’re in good condition, sizes 18-20.” She was bombarded with phone calls, but nobody wanted to buy the clothes – they all wanted to know how she had lost the 50 pounds.
You see, the callers wanted to know about something that had changed her life hoping that this something could change their lives too!!!
That’s what the unchurched are really looking for. They want to know if Jesus really works in your life.
Now… there are a couple of ways that can help your friends decide Jesus works in your life:
1st they can hear your story
• Why did you become a Christian?
• Why do think Jesus has made a difference in your life?
• Or… why are you a Christian?
Now, I’m going to do something really scary for me… I’m going to quit talking for a few moments. The reason that’s scary is that I never stop talking! And, no I do not need any feedback here!
But I want you to take a few moments and answer at least one of those questions. You can write your answer on your copy of the lesson, or you can write in some corner of your mind. But for the next few moments, I want you to ponder on these questions:
• Why did you become a Christian?
• Why do think Jesus has made a difference in your life?
• Or… why are you a Christian?
The reason for this “exercise”, is because some believers have never given much thought to those questions. They never give much thought to why they are Christians or even to why they first became Christians. They simply go thru the motions of going to church and Sunday school and Bible studies and youth activities… but they often times they don’t consider why they do them. And so they have a hard time explaining to others why they should love Jesus like they do.
SO 1st – to help people understand how Jesus has worked in your life, they can hear your story .
THEN a 2nd way up can convince them Jesus works is if they can see Jesus in your life.
On the way home from church a little girl who said, “Mom, I’ve been thinking.”
The mother said, “Oh! About what?”
The girl replied, “Well, my teacher this morning said God is bigger than we are. Is that true?”
“Yes, that’s true,” the mother replied.
“He also said that God lives within us. Is that true too?”
Again the mother replied, “Yes.”
“Well,” said the girl. “If God is bigger than us and He lives in us, wouldn’t He show through?”
You and I need to ask ourselves – does Jesus show thru our lives.
But… how would we know if Jesus is showing thru? Galatians 5:22-23 will give us some insight into this. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
If you show these qualities in your life… people will see Jesus in you.
OK… SO HOW DOES THAT WORK?
Let’s just pick one of these “fruits” out of the list as an illustration. Galatians tells us that one of the fruits of the Spirit is having joy.
So… do people see you being filled with joy? When people are around you – do they see you being at peace. Contented with your life…? Or do they see you as one who complains about things instead?
Now… we all complain now and again. In fact, let’s take a poll. How many of you have complained at least once this week?
Ok. So we all complain when life gets uncomfortable or someone has rubbed us a little raw… but some people seem to have developed that trait of complaining down to a fine art. If you asked them, they might even try to explain to you that this is somehow their Spiritual gift.
A pastor tells the story of a man in his church that reminded him of a rose. He did beautiful things for the church. He’d worked with the youth, he’d been actively involved in outreach for church, worked with missions. He was extremely talented. He was just like a rose – so much that was beautiful about him. But roses have thorns, and so did he. Whenever you were around him all he did was complain.
He complained about the preacher, the church leadership, the music, the way the church did this…
-or did not do that. He never seemed to be happy. He had no joy in his life. He was just like a rose. There was so much that was beautiful about him. But being around him was like holding on to the stem of a rose that loaded with thorns. He had no joy in him… and that made him really uncomfortable to be around.
DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE LIKE THAT?
They’ll complain a lot about how things are going at work, or at home, or at church?
They might say… “Well you don’t understand my situation… You don’t understand the type of people I have to deal with!
Well, no… we don’t. You nor I really know what other people have to go thru in their life and what effect it can have on their outlook on life.
But we need to understand that joy isn’t so much a BY-PRODUCT of life or our circumstances… as it is a CHOICE that we make.
And that’s the way it is with us to belong to Jesus Christ: we get make choices in our lives. And because we belong to Jesus we have the opportunity to choose the brightest and most cheerful “fruits” because we have a reason to do so.
Now there are some people that just come naturally by these traits of love and joy and patience and long-suffering. But for most of us this can be a struggle at times. The reason we can show these fruit of the Spirit in our lives – even when we’re faced with difficult situations and people around us – is because Jesus shines in our lives and brightens up even the darkest corners.
John wrote: “…if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
You see… Jesus has the power to just light up our lives so that the vibrant colors can truly color our lives. And when people see that in us… they see Jesus.
Most of us have heard that being a “preacher’s kid” can be difficult for a young child. A preacher’s little boy who was told by his mother that he should wash his hands because there were germs living in all the dirt he’d been playing in. He looked up at his mother and got this really disgusted look on his face. “Germs? Germs?” He said. “Germs and Jesus! Germs and Jesus! That’s all I ever hear around this house! And I’ve never seen either one!”
At that young age, that little boy wasn’t sure he was comfortable believing in something that he hadn’t seen. A lot of people are like that.
Remember how Thomas reacted to the news that Jesus had risen from the dead? John 20:25 tells us that Thomas told the other disciples, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”
Thomas had difficulty believing in something he had not seen and touched.
John wrote “….. what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.” (1 John 1:3)
Now, you’d think that it would be easier for us if we, like the Apostle John here, could claim to have seen and touched and heard Jesus. You’d think that it would be easier for us to convince people about Jesus if we ourselves had actually seen and touched and heard Jesus.
But the Gospels repeatedly point out that even when people PERSONALLY SAW the miraculous power of Jesus, they still rejected Him. Even when they heard from the lips of those who had personally seen Jesus they still would not believe. Being an eye-witness to Jesus did NOT make it easier to convince people to become Christians.
Lee Strobe, in his book “Inside the Mind of Unchurched Harry and Mary”, maintained that the unchurched aren’t necessarily looking for miracles and appearances of Christ.
• The unchurched haven’t necessarily rejected God - they’ve rejected “church.”
• Many of them are morally adrift, but they secretly want an anchor.
• They often don’t understand Christianity, but they’re also ignorant about what they claim to believe in.
• Often they’re not so much concerned with the question of “Is Christianity true?” Instead, they’re more concerned with “Does Christianity work and how can I experience it?”
In other words, just like the people in John’s day… the unchurched today want to hear about what YOU’VE seen…
what YOU’VE touched…
what YOU’VE heard
They want to know if it works for you.
A woman put an ad in the local paper: “Lost 50 pounds! Selling my fat clothes – they’re in good condition, sizes 18-20.” She was bombarded with phone calls, but nobody wanted to buy the clothes – they all wanted to know how she had lost the 50 pounds.
You see, the callers wanted to know about something that had changed her life hoping that this something could change their lives too!!!
That’s what the unchurched are really looking for. They want to know if Jesus really works in your life.
Now… there are a couple of ways that can help your friends decide Jesus works in your life:
1st they can hear your story
• Why did you become a Christian?
• Why do think Jesus has made a difference in your life?
• Or… why are you a Christian?
Now, I’m going to do something really scary for me… I’m going to quit talking for a few moments. The reason that’s scary is that I never stop talking! And, no I do not need any feedback here!
But I want you to take a few moments and answer at least one of those questions. You can write your answer on your copy of the lesson, or you can write in some corner of your mind. But for the next few moments, I want you to ponder on these questions:
• Why did you become a Christian?
• Why do think Jesus has made a difference in your life?
• Or… why are you a Christian?
The reason for this “exercise”, is because some believers have never given much thought to those questions. They never give much thought to why they are Christians or even to why they first became Christians. They simply go thru the motions of going to church and Sunday school and Bible studies and youth activities… but they often times they don’t consider why they do them. And so they have a hard time explaining to others why they should love Jesus like they do.
SO 1st – to help people understand how Jesus has worked in your life, they can hear your story .
THEN a 2nd way up can convince them Jesus works is if they can see Jesus in your life.
On the way home from church a little girl who said, “Mom, I’ve been thinking.”
The mother said, “Oh! About what?”
The girl replied, “Well, my teacher this morning said God is bigger than we are. Is that true?”
“Yes, that’s true,” the mother replied.
“He also said that God lives within us. Is that true too?”
Again the mother replied, “Yes.”
“Well,” said the girl. “If God is bigger than us and He lives in us, wouldn’t He show through?”
You and I need to ask ourselves – does Jesus show thru our lives.
But… how would we know if Jesus is showing thru? Galatians 5:22-23 will give us some insight into this. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
If you show these qualities in your life… people will see Jesus in you.
OK… SO HOW DOES THAT WORK?
Let’s just pick one of these “fruits” out of the list as an illustration. Galatians tells us that one of the fruits of the Spirit is having joy.
So… do people see you being filled with joy? When people are around you – do they see you being at peace. Contented with your life…? Or do they see you as one who complains about things instead?
Now… we all complain now and again. In fact, let’s take a poll. How many of you have complained at least once this week?
Ok. So we all complain when life gets uncomfortable or someone has rubbed us a little raw… but some people seem to have developed that trait of complaining down to a fine art. If you asked them, they might even try to explain to you that this is somehow their Spiritual gift.
A pastor tells the story of a man in his church that reminded him of a rose. He did beautiful things for the church. He’d worked with the youth, he’d been actively involved in outreach for church, worked with missions. He was extremely talented. He was just like a rose – so much that was beautiful about him. But roses have thorns, and so did he. Whenever you were around him all he did was complain.
He complained about the preacher, the church leadership, the music, the way the church did this…
-or did not do that. He never seemed to be happy. He had no joy in his life. He was just like a rose. There was so much that was beautiful about him. But being around him was like holding on to the stem of a rose that loaded with thorns. He had no joy in him… and that made him really uncomfortable to be around.
DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE LIKE THAT?
They’ll complain a lot about how things are going at work, or at home, or at church?
They might say… “Well you don’t understand my situation… You don’t understand the type of people I have to deal with!
Well, no… we don’t. You nor I really know what other people have to go thru in their life and what effect it can have on their outlook on life.
But we need to understand that joy isn’t so much a BY-PRODUCT of life or our circumstances… as it is a CHOICE that we make.
And that’s the way it is with us to belong to Jesus Christ: we get make choices in our lives. And because we belong to Jesus we have the opportunity to choose the brightest and most cheerful “fruits” because we have a reason to do so.
Now there are some people that just come naturally by these traits of love and joy and patience and long-suffering. But for most of us this can be a struggle at times. The reason we can show these fruit of the Spirit in our lives – even when we’re faced with difficult situations and people around us – is because Jesus shines in our lives and brightens up even the darkest corners.
John wrote: “…if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
You see… Jesus has the power to just light up our lives so that the vibrant colors can truly color our lives. And when people see that in us… they see Jesus.
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
3:16 The Numbers of Hope
3:16 The Numbers of Hope
Max Lucado has written a book titled simply 3:16. The entire book focuses in on just one single verse from the Bible--John 3:16. This verse just may be the single most significant sentence in all of Scripture--3:16 the verse.
Preschoolers can recite it. Football fans paint boldly across cardboard signs. Tim Tebow wore it under his eyes during ball games at Florida. This caused thousands to Google John 3:16 to see what it said. Hmmmmmm! It’s brief enough to write on a napkin or memorize in moment, yet solid enough to withstand 2000 years of storms and questions. It begins with God, ends with life, and urges us to do the same! Listen to the impact this verse has had on people’s lives:
If you know nothing of the Bible, begin here. If you know everything of the Bible, return here. This is the Hope diamond of Scripture!
But before we can get to 3:16, we have to set the stage. It all begins with a silent figure moving stealthily through the darkened streets of Jerusalem. Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees, the religious elite who militantly rejected Jesus. So when he decided to seek Christ out and learn from him, he had to do so in secret. Slipping through alleyways and dimly lit streets, Nicodemus finds his way to a simple house where Jesus and his followers are staying.
“Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you” (John 3:2 NLT).
Without hesitation, Jesus replies, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3). We don’t know for sure what was on Nicodemus’ mind that night, but it’s clear what was on Jesus’ mind. Christ’s ”speech” on salvation reaches it’s climax in the sixteenth verse.
“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 (NIV)
In this one verse, we see the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ how it relates to us. Let’s look at this verse, starting with two simple words...
HE LOVES:
“For God so loved the world…” If those words are true, it changes everything, doesn’t it? Imagine what the world would be like without God’s love… A dark planet hurtling through space unguided, undirected. No hope. No future. Nothing to live for. No greater purpose to our existence. Every death would be an end. Every grave one’s final destination..
But God does love the world! We see it in every sunrise… every blade of grass… every fountain of water… every birth… every child’s face. God so loved the world!
Most of you have heard of Veggie Tales, which is a Christian cartoon who character are vegetables. Bob the tomato says, “Remember kids, God made you special, and he loves you very much!”
Isn’t that the message of John 3:16? Isn’t that the message the world needs to hear? God made you special and he loves very much
The Bible says, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39 NLT).
Max Lucado writes in one of his books, “If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, he’ll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and he chose your heart...”
He loves. And because he loves…
HE GIVES:
Jesus said, …” Just to say, “I love you,” doesn’t really mean a whole lot. Love--agape love, God’s love--is a verb. It has to be visually demonstrated. It has to be proven. The Bible says, “But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us!” (Romans 5:8 HCSB).
That sounds strange to some people. So many people in the world respect the teachings of Jesus. They admire his example. But no matter how they turn it around, they can’t see any significance in his death. One man even said, “That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. I don’t need God to give anyone for me,” he claimed. “I’ve led a good life. Held a good job. People respect me. My wife loves me. I don’t need God to give me his son.” Maybe you agree. But are we really as good as we think we are? Let’s see how well we score against God’s basic laws--the Ten Commandments:
1. “You shall not steal.” have you ever stolen anything? A paper clip, a peanut? That makes you a thief.
2. “You must not lie.” Those who claim they never have, just did.
3. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” Ever let God’s name slip passed your lips in anger or frustration? The Bible calls that blasphemy.
4. “You shall not commit adultery.” Before you excuse yourself from this one, Jesus said that if you so much as look at a woman with lust, you’ve committed adultery in your heart.
And that’s just four out of ten. We could keep going, but we probably wouldn’t we’d fair any better. If we think well we are not a murderer, look what Bible says in 1 John 3:15, “Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart.” Most sincere people, when we’re honest (when we’re alone at night with just our thoughts), we know that we’re really not all that good. We all have regrets. We’ve all made mistakes. The Bible calls that sin. And we do it all the time.
The Bible tells us, “Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23 NCV). Our sin separates us from God. So if any of us are ever going to have a real relationship with our Creator, then it’s up to him to find a way to reconcile us. That’s where Jesus comes in. He determined to build that bridge with an old rugged cross. He gave himself. He gave Jesus to bring salvation to the world through his death.
And although God loves and Jesus sacrifice was sufficient for the whole world, it is only efficient if…
WE BELIEVE:
Jesus said that God, “gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish…” This concept runs contrary to our instincts. And it’s so simple. We expect a more complicated cure, a more sophisticated salvation. And what about that Bible verse that says, “God helps those who help themselves”? Well, that’s not really in the Bible.
No other religion offers what Jesus promises. Judaism sees salvation as a Judgment Day decision based on morality. Buddhism grades your life according to the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Muslim earn their way to Allah by performing the duties of the Five Pillars of Faith.
But not Christianity. Jesus calls us to do one thing: believe! Listen to what the Bible says:
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12 NIV)
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:18 NIV)
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (John 3:36 NKJV)
I tell you the truth, whoever believes has eternal life. (John 6:47 NCV)
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. (John 7:38 NKJV)
And remember the jailor who asked Paul and Silas after the prison doors were opened by the power of God “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” (Acts 16:31 NLT)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8 ESV)
Maybe you’re thinking what about baptism, repentance and a changed life? Are you saying those things aren’t necessary? No, of course not. Those things are absolutely essential. But baptism, repentance, a changed life, and things like that are not in addition to faith. They are expressions of it. They acts of faith that work together with our faith to make our faith real.
But what Jesus wants us to see is that it’s not because of what I’ve done, but because of who he is. It’s not because of who I am, but because of what he has already done! And all he asks is for us to put our trust in him, and him alone!
Conclusion:
He loves. He gives. We believe. We live.
It really is that simple. God loves this world, more than we’ll ever know. He gave his one and only Son so that we could live forever with him. Apart from him we die. With him we live. Choose life. Choose Jesus!
Max Lucado has written a book titled simply 3:16. The entire book focuses in on just one single verse from the Bible--John 3:16. This verse just may be the single most significant sentence in all of Scripture--3:16 the verse.
Preschoolers can recite it. Football fans paint boldly across cardboard signs. Tim Tebow wore it under his eyes during ball games at Florida. This caused thousands to Google John 3:16 to see what it said. Hmmmmmm! It’s brief enough to write on a napkin or memorize in moment, yet solid enough to withstand 2000 years of storms and questions. It begins with God, ends with life, and urges us to do the same! Listen to the impact this verse has had on people’s lives:
If you know nothing of the Bible, begin here. If you know everything of the Bible, return here. This is the Hope diamond of Scripture!
But before we can get to 3:16, we have to set the stage. It all begins with a silent figure moving stealthily through the darkened streets of Jerusalem. Nicodemus was one of the Pharisees, the religious elite who militantly rejected Jesus. So when he decided to seek Christ out and learn from him, he had to do so in secret. Slipping through alleyways and dimly lit streets, Nicodemus finds his way to a simple house where Jesus and his followers are staying.
“Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you” (John 3:2 NLT).
Without hesitation, Jesus replies, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:3). We don’t know for sure what was on Nicodemus’ mind that night, but it’s clear what was on Jesus’ mind. Christ’s ”speech” on salvation reaches it’s climax in the sixteenth verse.
“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 (NIV)
In this one verse, we see the whole Gospel of Jesus Christ how it relates to us. Let’s look at this verse, starting with two simple words...
HE LOVES:
“For God so loved the world…” If those words are true, it changes everything, doesn’t it? Imagine what the world would be like without God’s love… A dark planet hurtling through space unguided, undirected. No hope. No future. Nothing to live for. No greater purpose to our existence. Every death would be an end. Every grave one’s final destination..
But God does love the world! We see it in every sunrise… every blade of grass… every fountain of water… every birth… every child’s face. God so loved the world!
Most of you have heard of Veggie Tales, which is a Christian cartoon who character are vegetables. Bob the tomato says, “Remember kids, God made you special, and he loves you very much!”
Isn’t that the message of John 3:16? Isn’t that the message the world needs to hear? God made you special and he loves very much
The Bible says, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39 NLT).
Max Lucado writes in one of his books, “If God had a refrigerator, your picture would be on it. If He had a wallet, your photo would be in it. He sends you flowers every spring and a sunrise every morning. Whenever you want to talk, he’ll listen. He can live anywhere in the universe, and he chose your heart...”
He loves. And because he loves…
HE GIVES:
Jesus said, …” Just to say, “I love you,” doesn’t really mean a whole lot. Love--agape love, God’s love--is a verb. It has to be visually demonstrated. It has to be proven. The Bible says, “But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us!” (Romans 5:8 HCSB).
That sounds strange to some people. So many people in the world respect the teachings of Jesus. They admire his example. But no matter how they turn it around, they can’t see any significance in his death. One man even said, “That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever heard. I don’t need God to give anyone for me,” he claimed. “I’ve led a good life. Held a good job. People respect me. My wife loves me. I don’t need God to give me his son.” Maybe you agree. But are we really as good as we think we are? Let’s see how well we score against God’s basic laws--the Ten Commandments:
1. “You shall not steal.” have you ever stolen anything? A paper clip, a peanut? That makes you a thief.
2. “You must not lie.” Those who claim they never have, just did.
3. “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.” Ever let God’s name slip passed your lips in anger or frustration? The Bible calls that blasphemy.
4. “You shall not commit adultery.” Before you excuse yourself from this one, Jesus said that if you so much as look at a woman with lust, you’ve committed adultery in your heart.
And that’s just four out of ten. We could keep going, but we probably wouldn’t we’d fair any better. If we think well we are not a murderer, look what Bible says in 1 John 3:15, “Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart.” Most sincere people, when we’re honest (when we’re alone at night with just our thoughts), we know that we’re really not all that good. We all have regrets. We’ve all made mistakes. The Bible calls that sin. And we do it all the time.
The Bible tells us, “Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God’s glorious standard” (Romans 3:23 NCV). Our sin separates us from God. So if any of us are ever going to have a real relationship with our Creator, then it’s up to him to find a way to reconcile us. That’s where Jesus comes in. He determined to build that bridge with an old rugged cross. He gave himself. He gave Jesus to bring salvation to the world through his death.
And although God loves and Jesus sacrifice was sufficient for the whole world, it is only efficient if…
WE BELIEVE:
Jesus said that God, “gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in him shall not perish…” This concept runs contrary to our instincts. And it’s so simple. We expect a more complicated cure, a more sophisticated salvation. And what about that Bible verse that says, “God helps those who help themselves”? Well, that’s not really in the Bible.
No other religion offers what Jesus promises. Judaism sees salvation as a Judgment Day decision based on morality. Buddhism grades your life according to the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. Muslim earn their way to Allah by performing the duties of the Five Pillars of Faith.
But not Christianity. Jesus calls us to do one thing: believe! Listen to what the Bible says:
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12 NIV)
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. (John 3:18 NIV)
He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (John 3:36 NKJV)
I tell you the truth, whoever believes has eternal life. (John 6:47 NCV)
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. (John 7:38 NKJV)
And remember the jailor who asked Paul and Silas after the prison doors were opened by the power of God “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, along with everyone in your household.” (Acts 16:31 NLT)
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8 ESV)
Maybe you’re thinking what about baptism, repentance and a changed life? Are you saying those things aren’t necessary? No, of course not. Those things are absolutely essential. But baptism, repentance, a changed life, and things like that are not in addition to faith. They are expressions of it. They acts of faith that work together with our faith to make our faith real.
But what Jesus wants us to see is that it’s not because of what I’ve done, but because of who he is. It’s not because of who I am, but because of what he has already done! And all he asks is for us to put our trust in him, and him alone!
Conclusion:
He loves. He gives. We believe. We live.
It really is that simple. God loves this world, more than we’ll ever know. He gave his one and only Son so that we could live forever with him. Apart from him we die. With him we live. Choose life. Choose Jesus!
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Change Ain’t Easy!
Change Ain’t Easy!
Received this in an email this week. It is from an inscription on a tombstone. Got me to thinking about the “difficulty” of change thus this lesson!
“When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits,
I dreamed of changing the world.
As I grew older and wiser I discovered the world would not change –
So I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country,
But it too seemed immovable.
As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt,
I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me,
But alas, they would have none of it.
And now I realize as I lie on my deathbed, if I had only changed myself first,
Then by example I might have changed my family,
From their inspiration and encouragement I would then have been able to better my country,
And who knows, I might have even changed the world.”
Suppose you could change anything about yourself, where would you start? Lots of us would start on the outside. Would you be . . .Skinnier? Taller? Shorter? Better looking?
Would you change . . .Your eyes? Your hair? Your teeth? Your legs? Your bulges?
If you could wave a magic wand and change your outward appearance, would it be a light touch-up or an extreme makeover? Would we even recognize you?
All of us probably all go through periods where we want to change our outward appearance. But isn’t it hard to do?
But as hard as it is to change on the outside, it seems infinitely harder to change on the inside. If there is anything we know about human nature, it is that people change slowly, if they change at all. Think about the struggles of your own life. What would you change about yourself on the inside if you could?
Would it be an impatient spirit?
Would it be a critical tongue?
Would it be envy of those around you?
Would it be a spirit of discontentment?
Would it be lingering resentment?
Would it be lust you can’t conquer?
Would it be financial mismanagement?
Would it be a guilty conscience?
Would it be an inability to work with others?
Would it be overbearing stubbornness?
Would it be a judgmental spirit?
Would it be a quick temper?
Would it be profound discouragement?
Would it be an inability to appreciate life?
Would it be an ungrateful spirit?
Would it be a disorganized life?
Would it be an inability to say no?
Would it be a mean streak you can’t seem to get rid of?
We all want to change something, but we don’t know how to do it and we don’t know where to begin. We all dream of being something different and better than the person we are today.
But change is hard, isn’t it? Let’s see what the Bible says by looking at one of the better-known verses in the New Testament:
Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2).
Knowledge of the Bible is very important. We all should spend time learning and studying the Bible. But knowledge alone will not save us and knowledge alone will certainly not change us. We’ve got to do something with the knowledge we have.
Change is not easy and it’s not supposed to be easy. If it were easy, anyone could do it.
Most of us change very slowly, if we change at all. And few of us make any lasting changes except under pressure and as a result of personal pain. There is no growth without struggle. We all have heard the phrase “No pain, no gain.”
Long-held habits can be changed, but it won’t happen overnight. Patterns of sin can be broken, but it will take more than a quick prayer at the end of a worship service. You can see significant growth in your spiritual life, but it won’t come without a cost.
As long as our life is going well, why should we change? When we are around people whatever is in our heart will come out sooner or later. If we’ve got a tendency to cut corners, our friends will spot it. If we fudge on the truth, if we are a chronic excuse-maker, if we have a critical spirit, if we have a root of bitterness, or if we are just a difficult person to be around, all of it is bound to come out eventually.
And there is some benefit to this. The revealing of weakness always involves personal pain. But the benefit comes from seeing the truth about ourselves, warts and all.
Now at last you can do something about it. That “something” is what Romans 12:2 is all about. It tells us that we can be transformed when our minds are renewed. How does that happen?
1) We must be transfigured on the inside.
Note the word “transform.” The Greek word for “transformed” in Romans 12:2 is related to the English word metamorphosis. You will recall from 7th-grade science class that metamorphosis is the process by which a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. It’s a gradual change on the inside that produces a total transformation on the outside. Remember in Mark’s Gospel, “Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. “Jesus’ appearance was transformed, and his clothes became dazzling white, far whiter than any earthly bleach could ever make them.” (Mark 9:2-3). When Jesus was transformed, he did not cease to be Jesus. He was still who he had been moments before, but for a brief time, the curtain was pulled back, so to speak, and James, Peter and John saw as much of the true divinity of Christ as any man can see and still live. In that moment they saw the “real Jesus,” the true Son of God from heaven. He did not cease to be a man, but his true identity was revealed to them”
Consider what happens when a caterpillar enters the cocoon, only to emerge later as a butterfly. The caterpillar doesn’t change its basic nature.
Caterpillars can’t fly. But they were born to fly. When the caterpillar changes into a butterfly, it becomes what God always intended it to be.
Now just study a caterpillar for a moment. You can’t tell by looking at a caterpillar that one day it will fly. It seems impossible.
You never know how someone will turn out.
When the apostle John said that “we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.” (1 John 3:2), he was talking about our future when we are with the Lord in heaven. But it is also true in this life. God is in the transformation business, and you can’t tell who will end where or what plans God has for you and me tomorrow.
God is determined that we will all be like Jesus in the end. Romans 8:29 says "For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son.”
A famous sculptor once said “In every block of marble I see a statue as plain as though it stood before me, shaped and perfect. Then I cut away everything that didn’t look like this mental image.”
Now apply this to the spiritual life. All of us are works-in-progress. We’re not finished, not glorified, not perfected, not completed. We’re all “under construction.” If you’ve ever visited a construction site, you know that it is noisy and looks messy. While the hammering and sawing continues, it’s hard to imagine what the final result will be. But God never stops working on us because there is so much work that needs to be done.
*If you concentrate on your weakness, you will lose your confidence.
*If you concentrate on God’s faithfulness, you will grow in confidence.
What makes us think that God will ever finish the job? Picture God as a sculptor working with a rough piece of marble. He’s working on a big chunk named “_______.” (Insert our name here.) It’s a hard job because the chunk is badly marred, misshapen, discolored, and cracked in odd places. It’s about the worst piece of marble a sculptor could ever find. But God is undeterred and he works patiently at his job, chipping away the bad parts, chiseling an image into the hard stone, stopping occasionally to polish here and there. One day he finally finishes one section of the statue. The next morning when he returns to the studio that section is messed up. “I thought I finished that yesterday,” he says, “Who’s been messing with my statue?”
It turns out that we’re the culprit. We are our own worst enemy. What we thought would improve things has only messed them up. But God is faithful. He patiently picks up his chisel and goes back to work. He’s chipping away everything that doesn’t look like Jesus. In my case, it’s evident that he has a long way to go. But I am encouraged by the certain knowledge that he won’t quit half-way through a project. What God starts, he finishes. You can take that to the bank.
2) We must reprogram our minds.
Sometimes we get “squishy” about the spiritual life. This means that we think in purely emotional terms. If only we can “feel” the presence of the Lord, then we know we are moving in the right direction. As important as feelings are, and they do matter greatly, Paul here put the emphasis on the renewing of the mind.
How do we change “the way we think” as Paul writes in Romans 12:2? Or as the NIV Bible says “renewing of your mind”. The answer is actually simple though it is the work of a lifetime. Desire must be combined with discipline. The transformation of the mind takes time, and it takes a determination to develop those habits of holiness.
And we need Godly encouragement. It is hard to grow spiritually without being around others who can encourage us to make wise choices on a daily basis.
So we need to “choose our friends wisely” because we will become like our friends and our friends will become like us. The right friends make it easier for us to grow in the Lord and the wrong friends make it much harder.
Romans 12:2 teaches us about spiritual metamorphosis. God intends that we will slowly but surely be transformed into the image of Christ.
It will not happen by accident.
It does not happen overnight.
It cannot happen without the Holy Spirit.
It happens when we make a personal commitment.
It happens with the godly encouragement of other Christians.
It happens as we become what God made us to be.
It happens as we behold the glory of Jesus Christ.
We must pursue the Lord so that we may know him better and better. Then and only then will we be transformed by the renewing of our mind.
Ruth Graham, wife of Billy Graham, has this engraved on her tombstone: “End of construction. Thank you for your patience.”
Shhhh. Listen!! Do you hear the faint sound of hammering and sawing on the inside? Quiet. When God is finally finished, you will be like Jesus.
Monday, February 4, 2013
I Will Let You Choose
I Will Let You Choose
Meet Edwin Thomas, a master of the stage. During the latter half of the 1800s, this small man with the huge voice had few rivals. When it came to performance on the stage, Edwin Thomas was in a select group.
When it came to tragedy in life, the same could be said as well. Edwin had a brother, John. He also was an actor but never was as successful as Edwin.
The brother, John on a crisp April night in 1865, stole quietly into the rear of a box in the Washington theater and fired a bullet at the head of Abraham Lincoln. Yes, the last name of the brothers was Booth—Edwin Thomas Booth and John Wilkes Booth.
Edwin was never the same after that night. Shame from his brother’s crime drove him into retirement. He might never have returned to the stage had it not been for a twist of fate at a New Jersey train station. Edwin was awaiting his coach when a well-dressed young man, pressed by the crowd, lost his footing and fell between the platform and a moving train. Without hesitation, Edwin locked a leg around a railing, grabbed the man, and pulled him to safety. After the sighs of relief, the young man recognized the famous Edwin Booth.
Edwin, however, didn’t recognize the young man he’d rescued. That knowledge came weeks later in a letter, a letter he carried in his pocket to the grave. A letter from General Adams Budeau, chief secretary to General Ulysses S. Grant. A letter thanking Edwin Booth for saving the life of the child of an American hero, Abraham Lincoln.
How ironic that while one brother killed the president, the other brother saved the president’s son. The boy Edwin Booth yanked to safety? Robert Todd Lincoln.
Edwin and John Booth. Same father, mother, profession and passion—yet one chooses life, the other, death. How could it happen? No one can say for sure, but it does. Though their story is dramatic, it’s not unique.
Abel and Cain, both sons of Adam. Abel chooses God. Cain chooses murder. And God lets him. Abraham and Lot, both pilgrims in Canaan. Abraham chooses God. Lot chooses Sodom. And God lets him. David and Saul, both kings of Israel. David chooses God. Saul chooses power. And God lets him. Peter and Judas, both deny their Lord. Peter seeks mercy. Judas seeks death. And God lets him.
In every age of history, on every page of Scripture, the truth is revealed: God allows us to make our own choices. And no one delineates this more clearly than Jesus. According to Him, we can choose:
• a narrow gate or a wide gate
• a narrow road or a wide road
• the big crowd or the small crowd
“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” (Matt. 7:13-14)
We can choose to:
• be “like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Or be “like a person who builds a house on sand.” (Matt. 7:24-27)
• serve God or wealth. “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matt. 6:24)
• be numbered among the sheep or the goats “All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.” (Matt. 25:32-33)
Let’s consider that Friday at Calvary. Ever wonder why there were two crosses next to Christ? Why not six or 10? Ever wonder why Jesus was in the center? Why not on the far right or far left? Could it be that the two crosses on the hill symbolize one of God’s greatest gifts? The gift of choice.
The two criminals have so much in common. Convicted by the same system. Condemned to the same death. Surrounded by the same crowd. Equally close to the same Jesus. In fact, they both begin with the same sarcasm: “The two criminals also said cruel things to Jesus” (Matt. 27:44, CEV). But one changed.
One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
(Luke 23:39-43).
Much has been said about the prayer of the repentant thief, and it certainly warrants our admiration. But while we rejoice at the thief who changed, dare we forget the one who didn’t? What about him, Jesus? Wouldn’t a personal invitation be appropriate? Wouldn’t a word of persuasion be timely?
Does not the shepherd leave the 99 sheep and pursue the one lost? Does not the housewife sweep the house until the lost coin is found? Yes, the shepherd does, the housewife does; but the father of the prodigal, remember, does nothing.
• The sheep was lost innocently.
• The coin was lost irresponsibly.
• But the prodigal son left intentionally
The father gave him the choice. Jesus gave both criminals the same.
There are times when God sends thunder to stir us. There are times when God sends blessings to lure us. But then there are times when God sends nothing but silence as He honors us with the freedom to choose. And one of the choices He allows us is where we spend eternity!
And what an honor it is! In so many areas of life we have no choice. Think about it. We didn’t choose our gender. We didn’t choose our parents or siblings. We didn’t choose our race or place of birth.
Sometimes our lack of choices angers us. “It’s not fair,” we say. It’s not fair that I was born in poverty or that I sing so poorly or that I run so slowly. But the scales of life were forever tipped on the side of fairness when God planted a tree in the garden of Eden and told Adam and Eve not to eat it’s fruit. The only instruction given to them. But Adam and his descendants (this includes us) were given free will, the freedom to make whatever eternal choice we desire. Any injustice in this life is offset by the honor of choosing our destiny in the next.
Wouldn’t you agree? Would you have wanted otherwise? Would you have preferred the opposite? You choose everything in this life, and He chooses where you spend the next? You choose the size of your nose, the color of your hair, and your DNA structure, and He chooses where you spend eternity? Is that what you would prefer?
It would have been nice if God had let us order life like we order a meal. I’ll take good health and a high IQ. I’ll pass on the music skills, but give me a fast metabolism...Would’ve been nice. But it didn’t happen. When it came to our life on earth, we weren’t given a voice or a vote. But when it comes to life after death, we were. Wouldn’t you agree that this seems like a good deal?
Have we been given any greater privilege than that of choice? Not only does this privilege offset any injustice, the gift of free will can offset any mistakes.
Think about the thief who repented. Though we know little about him, we know this: He made some bad mistakes in life. He chose the wrong crowd, the wrong morals, the wrong behavior. But would you consider his life a waste? Is he spending eternity reaping the fruit of all the bad choices he made? No, just the opposite. He is enjoying the fruit of the one good choice he made. In the end all his bad choices were redeemed by a solitary good one.
We’ve all made some bad choices in life, haven’t we? We’ve chosen the wrong friends, maybe the wrong career, even the wrong spouse. We look back over our life and say, “If only...if only I could make up for those bad choices.” We can. One good choice for eternity offsets a thousand bad ones on earth.
The choice is ours.
How can two brothers be born of the same mother, grow up in the same home, and one choose life and the other choose death? We don’t know, but they do.
How could two men see the same Jesus and one choose to mock Him and the other choose to pray to Him? We don’t know, but they did. And when one prayed, Jesus loved him enough to save him. And when the other mocked, Jesus loved him enough to let him.
He allowed him the choice.
He does the same for us.
“So fear the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone. But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:14-15
Meet Edwin Thomas, a master of the stage. During the latter half of the 1800s, this small man with the huge voice had few rivals. When it came to performance on the stage, Edwin Thomas was in a select group.
When it came to tragedy in life, the same could be said as well. Edwin had a brother, John. He also was an actor but never was as successful as Edwin.
The brother, John on a crisp April night in 1865, stole quietly into the rear of a box in the Washington theater and fired a bullet at the head of Abraham Lincoln. Yes, the last name of the brothers was Booth—Edwin Thomas Booth and John Wilkes Booth.
Edwin was never the same after that night. Shame from his brother’s crime drove him into retirement. He might never have returned to the stage had it not been for a twist of fate at a New Jersey train station. Edwin was awaiting his coach when a well-dressed young man, pressed by the crowd, lost his footing and fell between the platform and a moving train. Without hesitation, Edwin locked a leg around a railing, grabbed the man, and pulled him to safety. After the sighs of relief, the young man recognized the famous Edwin Booth.
Edwin, however, didn’t recognize the young man he’d rescued. That knowledge came weeks later in a letter, a letter he carried in his pocket to the grave. A letter from General Adams Budeau, chief secretary to General Ulysses S. Grant. A letter thanking Edwin Booth for saving the life of the child of an American hero, Abraham Lincoln.
How ironic that while one brother killed the president, the other brother saved the president’s son. The boy Edwin Booth yanked to safety? Robert Todd Lincoln.
Edwin and John Booth. Same father, mother, profession and passion—yet one chooses life, the other, death. How could it happen? No one can say for sure, but it does. Though their story is dramatic, it’s not unique.
Abel and Cain, both sons of Adam. Abel chooses God. Cain chooses murder. And God lets him. Abraham and Lot, both pilgrims in Canaan. Abraham chooses God. Lot chooses Sodom. And God lets him. David and Saul, both kings of Israel. David chooses God. Saul chooses power. And God lets him. Peter and Judas, both deny their Lord. Peter seeks mercy. Judas seeks death. And God lets him.
In every age of history, on every page of Scripture, the truth is revealed: God allows us to make our own choices. And no one delineates this more clearly than Jesus. According to Him, we can choose:
• a narrow gate or a wide gate
• a narrow road or a wide road
• the big crowd or the small crowd
“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” (Matt. 7:13-14)
We can choose to:
• be “like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Or be “like a person who builds a house on sand.” (Matt. 7:24-27)
• serve God or wealth. “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” (Matt. 6:24)
• be numbered among the sheep or the goats “All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left.” (Matt. 25:32-33)
Let’s consider that Friday at Calvary. Ever wonder why there were two crosses next to Christ? Why not six or 10? Ever wonder why Jesus was in the center? Why not on the far right or far left? Could it be that the two crosses on the hill symbolize one of God’s greatest gifts? The gift of choice.
The two criminals have so much in common. Convicted by the same system. Condemned to the same death. Surrounded by the same crowd. Equally close to the same Jesus. In fact, they both begin with the same sarcasm: “The two criminals also said cruel things to Jesus” (Matt. 27:44, CEV). But one changed.
One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!” But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die? We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.” And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
(Luke 23:39-43).
Much has been said about the prayer of the repentant thief, and it certainly warrants our admiration. But while we rejoice at the thief who changed, dare we forget the one who didn’t? What about him, Jesus? Wouldn’t a personal invitation be appropriate? Wouldn’t a word of persuasion be timely?
Does not the shepherd leave the 99 sheep and pursue the one lost? Does not the housewife sweep the house until the lost coin is found? Yes, the shepherd does, the housewife does; but the father of the prodigal, remember, does nothing.
• The sheep was lost innocently.
• The coin was lost irresponsibly.
• But the prodigal son left intentionally
The father gave him the choice. Jesus gave both criminals the same.
There are times when God sends thunder to stir us. There are times when God sends blessings to lure us. But then there are times when God sends nothing but silence as He honors us with the freedom to choose. And one of the choices He allows us is where we spend eternity!
And what an honor it is! In so many areas of life we have no choice. Think about it. We didn’t choose our gender. We didn’t choose our parents or siblings. We didn’t choose our race or place of birth.
Sometimes our lack of choices angers us. “It’s not fair,” we say. It’s not fair that I was born in poverty or that I sing so poorly or that I run so slowly. But the scales of life were forever tipped on the side of fairness when God planted a tree in the garden of Eden and told Adam and Eve not to eat it’s fruit. The only instruction given to them. But Adam and his descendants (this includes us) were given free will, the freedom to make whatever eternal choice we desire. Any injustice in this life is offset by the honor of choosing our destiny in the next.
Wouldn’t you agree? Would you have wanted otherwise? Would you have preferred the opposite? You choose everything in this life, and He chooses where you spend the next? You choose the size of your nose, the color of your hair, and your DNA structure, and He chooses where you spend eternity? Is that what you would prefer?
It would have been nice if God had let us order life like we order a meal. I’ll take good health and a high IQ. I’ll pass on the music skills, but give me a fast metabolism...Would’ve been nice. But it didn’t happen. When it came to our life on earth, we weren’t given a voice or a vote. But when it comes to life after death, we were. Wouldn’t you agree that this seems like a good deal?
Have we been given any greater privilege than that of choice? Not only does this privilege offset any injustice, the gift of free will can offset any mistakes.
Think about the thief who repented. Though we know little about him, we know this: He made some bad mistakes in life. He chose the wrong crowd, the wrong morals, the wrong behavior. But would you consider his life a waste? Is he spending eternity reaping the fruit of all the bad choices he made? No, just the opposite. He is enjoying the fruit of the one good choice he made. In the end all his bad choices were redeemed by a solitary good one.
We’ve all made some bad choices in life, haven’t we? We’ve chosen the wrong friends, maybe the wrong career, even the wrong spouse. We look back over our life and say, “If only...if only I could make up for those bad choices.” We can. One good choice for eternity offsets a thousand bad ones on earth.
The choice is ours.
How can two brothers be born of the same mother, grow up in the same home, and one choose life and the other choose death? We don’t know, but they do.
How could two men see the same Jesus and one choose to mock Him and the other choose to pray to Him? We don’t know, but they did. And when one prayed, Jesus loved him enough to save him. And when the other mocked, Jesus loved him enough to let him.
He allowed him the choice.
He does the same for us.
“So fear the LORD and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt. Serve the LORD alone. But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:14-15
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