Not To Make Us Good; But, To Live Life

Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. (John 14:19-20 KJV)

"He has come into the world to make dead people live!"

I was listening to Dave Rubin and Ravi Zacharias on the Rubin Report last night before bed.  It saddens me to know that I will never get to listen to anything new from Ravi Zacharias while it also gives me peace to know that faithful men like Ravi live life in Christ and are willing to share this good news with anyone and everyone.

He touched on one of my favorite subjects: to live life in Christ! Ravi said regarding Jesus' purpose, "We think he has come into the world to make bad people good. That's wrong. He has come into the world to make dead people live." 

One of my pet peeves over the years has been Sunday School curriculum that is morality (law) based rather than Christ centered. Way too much of it is aimed at teaching young people how to act like Christians by being good rather than helping them to understand that by faith alone, in Christ alone, Jesus abides in them and they in him and because he loves them so much he was willing to die for them so that they could live real, genuine, abundant, life in him. This living life is not just for after death but for today in this world as well. For without Christ, we are dead even here as we reside in this world. 

Christianity should not be relegated to just follow all the laws; be good. Being a follower of Jesus is about faith. It is about trusting him for your whole life. It is about having an active relationship with God our Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Any goodness evidenced in or through us comes from the one who lives and abides in us.  

All these good things we teach our children to do and be will not give them life. Of course they should be taught to love and care for and respect others; but, it is only the abiding presence of Christ that is good. Only he has fulfilled the law. Through him, our sins have been forgiven. We have been made clean by the work he did on the cross for us. 

The work on the cross was so that we might have life in and through him. Because he lives so shall we! Live life! Live life in Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Repent and Receive Forgiveness

Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;

John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:

Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.

But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,

Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.

                                                                        (Luke 3:2-3, 7-8, 15-20 KJV)

Now John baptized people for the forgiveness of sins. According to Luke, he admonished people to repent of their sins. It does not appear that he was a light-hearted jokester. His words were not meant to please any one's itching ears. He appears to have been a pretty serious character and an unafraid character, as well. The people who came to him to be baptized, he called a "brood of vipers." He rebuked Herod Antipas for divorcing his wife and marrying his brother's wife. He was not afraid to be a truth teller. He was thrown into prison for it. He was eventually beheaded for it.

People flocked out to be baptized by John; yet, he was hated by many. And, so goes the way of the those who strive to speak the truth. The truth and the purveyors of truth will be accepted by some. Others will do all they can to destroy the truth sayers in hopes of destroying the truth with them.

Repent and receive forgiveness. Let your sins be washed away. Repentance is not as easy as some may think. Because, before we can repent of our sins, we must first acknowledge them. If we cannot recognize our sin, our brokenness, then what is it that we think we are going to repent of? How are we going to change if we refuse to acknowledge that maybe there is room for change in our lives?

John's words may sound harsh to our ears at times. “Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” (Luke 3:7-9)

Change and live life in Christ!

God's Peace - Pr. J

Children Are A Joy

Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.

And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.

And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father.

And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.

And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.

And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.

And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.

And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.

And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.

And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.

                                                                        (Luke 1:57-66 KJV)

So much excitement over the birth of John the Baptist! His father, Zacharias, praised the Lord at his circumcision.

Reading these verses this morning caused me to think about the joyless pregnancies we hear about today. What if Elizabeth or Mary had opted to terminate the pregnancies? Of course, Elizabeth would never have. She and Zacharias had for so long wanted a child. Mary, so young, was in a pretty inconvenient position when she became pregnant, though. But, the mothers of both John and Jesus loved their children and would have done them no harm; neither before or after birth.

Times were not easy in Zacharias' and Elizabeth's day nor are they for everyone today. But, the thought of having a child brought joy to them. If only it were so for those who find themselves with child today. 

I thank God for the birth of John and most especially for Jesus. I do not even want to consider what the world would be like today without their ministries and mission.

God's Peace - Pr. J