Read John 1:1-5
When we think about Jesus it's difficult not to think about this passage in John 1 because it tells us He was with God in the beginning, through Him all things were made and in Him was life.
That's true today - in Him there is life. When I talk with people about Jesus I'm often reminded that His life and His word are what we need. Very simply it's about looking at Jesus' life and following Him. But so often we take our eyes off Him, we take our eyes off the word and we begin looking at other things that distract us from following Jesus.
The word was given to us, the written word that is, to help us know the way we ought to walk in this life so that we are living for Him. Think about it - in every relationship, in every situation, in every thing we can imagine God wants us following the Word.
Take the time to allow the Word to be part of your daily walk with Jesus. Allow Him to speak to you as much as you speak to Him and see, just see if your walk becomes closer as you allow Him to come closer to you.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Understanding...
Read Luke 18:31-34
The question all of us ask throughout our lives is why. Why did this happen, why did that happen, why God why?
Understanding is so elusive. And it eluded Jesus' first disciples. As we read in Luke 18:31-34 we see the text tells us they were lost; confused with what Jesus was talking about. He was talking to the Twelve and telling them all that was about to happen; how when they would arrive in Jerusalem all that the prophets had written about Him would be fulfilled. He was going to be handed over to the Gentiles and they would humiliate Jesus with their insults, spits, flogging and eventually they would kill Him. And on the third day Jesus promised He would rise again.
To so many of us this is so clear; we see it through the eyes of history, understanding our faith and knowing that all that Jesus said here actually happened. But to many, these words are still unclear. If you're reading this and Jesus' words aren't fully in focus for you yet, please know what Jesus was talking about, what the Christian faith is all about is Jesus' life, death, burial and resurrection. His words then are still true now - when He went into Jerusalem and experienced the cross, He did it for you and He did it for me. He paid the price for sin, your sin and mine, the perfect sacrificial death so that we would not have to die and live eternally apart from God.
The disciples didn't understand and there are times when we don't understand what is happening in our lives. What's important, always important, is that we understand these truths about Jesus. He came into this world to take us out of this world and into a relationship with His Father. His life was sacrificial so that all who would believe and ask Jesus to be the forgiver of their sins and leader of their life would come into this eternal relationship. It's all God has ever really wanted - you. Reflect on this understanding this week and thank God for the life Jesus lived for us.
The question all of us ask throughout our lives is why. Why did this happen, why did that happen, why God why?
Understanding is so elusive. And it eluded Jesus' first disciples. As we read in Luke 18:31-34 we see the text tells us they were lost; confused with what Jesus was talking about. He was talking to the Twelve and telling them all that was about to happen; how when they would arrive in Jerusalem all that the prophets had written about Him would be fulfilled. He was going to be handed over to the Gentiles and they would humiliate Jesus with their insults, spits, flogging and eventually they would kill Him. And on the third day Jesus promised He would rise again.
To so many of us this is so clear; we see it through the eyes of history, understanding our faith and knowing that all that Jesus said here actually happened. But to many, these words are still unclear. If you're reading this and Jesus' words aren't fully in focus for you yet, please know what Jesus was talking about, what the Christian faith is all about is Jesus' life, death, burial and resurrection. His words then are still true now - when He went into Jerusalem and experienced the cross, He did it for you and He did it for me. He paid the price for sin, your sin and mine, the perfect sacrificial death so that we would not have to die and live eternally apart from God.
The disciples didn't understand and there are times when we don't understand what is happening in our lives. What's important, always important, is that we understand these truths about Jesus. He came into this world to take us out of this world and into a relationship with His Father. His life was sacrificial so that all who would believe and ask Jesus to be the forgiver of their sins and leader of their life would come into this eternal relationship. It's all God has ever really wanted - you. Reflect on this understanding this week and thank God for the life Jesus lived for us.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
The Gospel Truth
Read Colossians 1:1-8
I don't know about you but I love reading the New Testament epistles. I think it's because we know some things about Paul's life and we can relate really well with him. Paul was a man of accomplishment. A quick read of Acts tells us he was zealous man of faith, always putting forth 100% effort. However, we learn in Acts 9 that Paul's life takes a turn. He receives instructions from the Lord and from that moment on his life took a new focus; he received a message, the gospel truth and it was now his life purpose to go and tell the good news of Jesus. The work of Jesus and not the work of man.
So when we read the epistles like Colossians 1:1-8 it's important, always important, for all of us to remember the foundation of our faith - the gospel. In his letter to the Colossians Paul speaks impressively of the Colossians faith and how "all over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing" among this group of Christ followers.
Listen, the gospel is the message of Jesus, the message the Colossians first heard about and understood the grace of God in all its truth. And where did they learn it? They learned it from Epaphras, a dear fellow servant of Paul and Timothy. This is so important because just as the Colossian church needed to hear the gospel truth from Epaphras, people we know need to hear the gospel message from us.
Pray that God will afford you opportunity after opportunity to communicate the good news about Jesus. His life, death, burial and resurrection. And may the hope of His life give your life joy this week. Make every effort to share this good news - my suspicion is all of us who are believers in Jesus can think of someone with a name we recall who first shared their faith with us and helped us understand the grace of God. May the good news, the gospel truth, be shared by us to a world that so desperately needs to know the love of God that's only found in His Son, Jesus Christ.
I don't know about you but I love reading the New Testament epistles. I think it's because we know some things about Paul's life and we can relate really well with him. Paul was a man of accomplishment. A quick read of Acts tells us he was zealous man of faith, always putting forth 100% effort. However, we learn in Acts 9 that Paul's life takes a turn. He receives instructions from the Lord and from that moment on his life took a new focus; he received a message, the gospel truth and it was now his life purpose to go and tell the good news of Jesus. The work of Jesus and not the work of man.
So when we read the epistles like Colossians 1:1-8 it's important, always important, for all of us to remember the foundation of our faith - the gospel. In his letter to the Colossians Paul speaks impressively of the Colossians faith and how "all over the world this gospel is bearing fruit and growing" among this group of Christ followers.
Listen, the gospel is the message of Jesus, the message the Colossians first heard about and understood the grace of God in all its truth. And where did they learn it? They learned it from Epaphras, a dear fellow servant of Paul and Timothy. This is so important because just as the Colossian church needed to hear the gospel truth from Epaphras, people we know need to hear the gospel message from us.
Pray that God will afford you opportunity after opportunity to communicate the good news about Jesus. His life, death, burial and resurrection. And may the hope of His life give your life joy this week. Make every effort to share this good news - my suspicion is all of us who are believers in Jesus can think of someone with a name we recall who first shared their faith with us and helped us understand the grace of God. May the good news, the gospel truth, be shared by us to a world that so desperately needs to know the love of God that's only found in His Son, Jesus Christ.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
