Life Without Jesus: Saturday Meditation

                                        

Lamentations 3:40 -

"Let us search and try our ways and turn again to the LORD."

We have transgressed and have rebelled: yet thou hast pardoned.

During the Saturday before the first Easter, what would the disciples and other followers of Christ be thinking? Story Over? Game over? Dreams over? No more Kingdom? Go back to the old ways?

Well, now that today we know that neither the story, nor the game was far from over, what are we thinking? As we wait in eager hope for Easter Sunday, what are we busy with? Maybe preparing the grand Easter meal. Or shopping. Or trying to get Easter eggs. Or maybe, like the disciples, simply meditating on the outcome of Christ's crucifixion. Thinking about what life will be without Christ. As far as we, personally, are concerned, was it a wasted sacrifice? Did we reciprocate His great love? Do we intend to? If so when? When it is too late?

Let's think about how we have personally upheld and honoured Christ's death on the cross. What we have done and what we need to do. It's not the New Year which needs resolutions. It's Easter.

Did you notice anything different in the opening verse? No? Read it again. There is a difference, and that difference is Jesus Christ. 

Lamentation 3 paints the picture of a life without Christ. But we, have Him. Let's not lose Him. 

World Forgiveness Day: The Bounty of Forgiveness.

 

July 7 is recognized as "Global Forgiveness Day" on the US National Day Calendar to encourage forgiveness as part of an element of personal health.

While it is great to give "forgiveness" the importance it deserves, maybe Good Friday, should be actually World Forgiveness Day! 

Today Jesus forgave and recommended to the father to forgive His assassins, murderess, betrayers, deserters, mockers, thieves, gamblers, bribery takers, - everyone who were involved in nailing Him to the cross.

Good Friday is about forgiveness as well as a demonstration of God's love. When we forgive someone, we stop disliking them. We pray for them; we support them in times of need. It does not mean we start immediately liking them, that may take time. We may not like them. But we stop disliking them. We stop hating them. We stop gossiping about them, however juicy it may seem. 

Today, following His example, can we think of one person (or more) whom we have not been able to forgive, decide to do so and pray to our God and Holy Spirit to give us the strength to forgive. And... can we also forgive ourselves, including our regrets, failures and dislikes.

We are called on to share the bounty we have received from God and Forgiveness is part of that bounty, given to us on that Friday on the cross.

Fear to Reverence

Prov 9, 10 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,

and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight".

(This post is drawn from the KJV Bible Study and Lloyd John Ogilvie)

Jesus Christ totally transformed the relationship that we have with God - from Fear to Reverence. 

In the times of the Old Testament, people feared God and they never thought of coming into His presence. Even the High Priests weren't safe enough to enter God's presence, the Holy of Holies, because of their sin.

But  the dynamics of our relationship with God changed, when Christ arrived on the scene. When He sacrificed Himself on the Cross and, was resurrected to be a living God, a series of events we will shortly celebrate. We no longer have to be far away from God. We don't have to cower away from him, wallowing in our imperfections. God wants us as close Him as possible so that He can love us, guide us, assure us, and strengthen us. God wants to see us grow. He wants to see us overcome the habits and strongholds that held us down for years.

God wanted us free and we were set free through His son. The freedom we received was free of charge. God granted us this freedom out of his deep love for us and nothing else. There weren't any ulterior motives. God didn't wait spring any unpleasant surprises on us - and that is how it will remain.

God takes delight in the fact that we are able to approach him boldly. He doesn't want us to be afraid of him. This may confuse a few people who many not know what the "fear of God means". To fear God does not mean to be afraid of Him. It means to hold him in high regard; to revere him.

According to Lloyd John Ogilvie, "wisdom is ... the vertical thrust of the mind of God into our minds, ... wisdom is the gift we need ... in order to do the will of God".

Basically, this verse teaches that the fear (or reverence) of God is foundational to true wisdom; all other types of learning are worthless unless built upon a knowledge of the Lord Himself.

Discipline & Discipleship

Matthew 28:19-20 New International Version 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age

Matthew 28, 19-20, quotes Jesus as instructing us to make disciples. Verse 20 goes onto say how and what they are expected to do. But before that, we, ourselves need to observe and follow verse 20 before we preach to others and expect them to follow Christ. Titus 2:11 tells us how.

Pastor David Jacobs opens up on this in a transparent manner. While we, and as churches, blindly believe and follow verse 19 we seldom understand that verse 20 is a qualifier and a responsibility and forms the discipline of discipleship for ourselves.

Here is what he says -

"This verse tells us how to conduct ourselves in a holy manner. Titus 2:11 says: "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men." God has given us salvation, and we must honor his salvation by doing what he asks. God's grace is involved in the teaching of us to turn away from godless actions. Living devoutly and avoiding sin are part of Paul and God's plans.

Paul writes this letter to Titus, often emphasizing the importance of living a disciplined life. Think about how important this would be: what kind of person do you think would attract more followers of Christ? Do you think it would be an ungodly one, one that pursues his every bodily desire, drinking and hurting others along the way? Of course not. Leading by example, Christ showed us how to live a disciplined and pious life. Christ has attracted followers based on his example for thousands of years, the vast majority of whom were not alive during his time. Disciples of Christ should see his life as the ultimate example of discipline and attempt to follow suit. This is Paul's aim in his letter to Titus.

Paul writes the letter knowing full well that the conduct of the early church members will go a long way in determining the impact of the church. Think about the churches in your own communities. Churches have fallen on hard times and been devastated by scandals, some never fully being able to recover. By resisting the temptations of the flesh and being delivered from evil, we protect our own immortal souls as well as show others how God hoped that we would live."

In short "We should exhibit self-control. We should live soberly, righteously, and godly. The rest we should leave to God."