Salvation

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THE NARROW WAY

(Matthew 7:14) But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

I was standing on the trail watching the approaching hikers coming from the direction I planned to travel.  As they approached, I asked them how the trail looked back in the direction from which they’d come.  Each one looked weary and haggard, and most of them didn’t give me any useful information.  Finally, an older gentleman stopped and smiled at me.

“Are you looking for information?” He asked.

“Yes, I replied.  I’d like to know what’s ahead.”

 He invited me to sit down on a nearby rock.  Compared to the other travelers he looked surprisingly fresh.  We sat down, and he began to share his knowledge of the trail.

“I’ve traveled this way many times.  In the beginning, I just relied on my own abilities.  It was always grueling.  I made it through, but I always had some type of injury.  The difference came when I met a man who changed my way of thinking.  He actually changed my whole life.  He showed me a better way.  I was amazed when he showed me an alternate trail.  It seemed so obvious.  I was embarrassed that I’d missed it. The alternate trail was narrow, but it was much easier to traverse.  Every time I came to a fork in the trail, he was right there to direct me.”

He paused to see my reaction.  I must admit I was excited by the thought of an alternate trail.  The one I was traveling on seem to lead to nowhere.

“Would you like to meet this man?” He asked me.

“Yes! I would.  I’d like to discover this narrow way.  Where can I find him?”

The older gentleman smiled, “He’s right here; let me introduce him to you.”

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JESUS IS THE SOURCE OF WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE

(Colossians 2:8-10 MSG) Watch out for people who try to dazzle you with big words and intellectual double-talk.  They want to drag you off into endless arguments that never amount to anything.  They spread their ideas through the empty traditions of human beings and the empty superstitions of spiritual beings.  But that’s not the way of Christ.  Everything of God gets expressed in him, so you can see and hear him clearly.  You don’t need a telescope, a microscope, or a horoscope to realize the fullness of Christ, and the emptiness of the universe without him.  When you come to him, that fullness comes together for you, too.  His power extends over everything. 

It is very common for people to intellectualize Christianity.  But no amount of study or discussion can give a person what Christ has to offer.  When you come to him, when you open yourself to him, then you’re on the road to understanding how God planned your redemption, and from that premise, you have the foundation to study and discuss the wonders of God’s world. 

No matter how intelligent a person considers himself or herself to be, their reasoning is flawed in comparison to the one who created the universe and all it contains.  It makes sense to first seek- out this all powerful and loving being we call God.  For knowing God is the beginning of wisdom (see Proverbs 9:10).  I began to make sense of this life when I surrendered my will to God and received Jesus as my savior.  I was given understanding that was unavailable before God gave me his Holy Spirit.  Then the words of the Bible became illuminated. The Holy Spirit guided me as I read , and I began to understand God’s truth. 

(1 Corinthians 1:20)  Where is the wise person?  Where is the teacher of the law?  Where is the philosopher of this age?  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

Jesus is the source of wisdom and knowledge. It all begins with him.  Clear thinking isn’t found in the words of man, but it is found in the words of God’s son. For those who desire to have wisdom and knowledge, you will find them in Jesus.

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REVIVAL

Throughout the history of Christianity there have been times when the Holy Spirit has come in power among us, and multitudes of people have come to Jesus to be saves from their sins.  We call this move of the Spirit “revival”.  The first time the Holy Spirit came in this way was on the Day of Pentecost.  Thus, when we pray for revival, we seek to revive the events that happened on that day. 

(Acts 2:1-4) When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.  Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

This occurred in an upper room where the disciples and other believers were gathered together in prayer.  Acts 1:15 tells us there were about a hundred and twenty present.  As this miraculous event progressed, it flowed from the building to the street.  Many gathered to discover what was happening.  Peter stepped up and explained to the crowd that this is the Holy Spirit.  When he was finished explaining, about three thousand people gave their lives to Jesus.  The account in Acts goes on to explain that every day others were added to their number. 

Since this first manifestation of the Holy Spirit, God has caused these events to happen throughout the world.  The Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection has been spreading from that time in Jerusalem till now.  From time to time, God, in his perfect timing, has used these miraculous events to draw people to himself.

Each time there is a revival there is a powerful presence of the Holy Spirit, miracles happen, people speak in other tongues, and supernatural healings take place.  The presence of the Holy Spirit is so strong that people sometimes become overwhelmed.  Yet the most significant outcome is that multitudes receive salvation. 

The movie “Jesus Revolution” does a great job of showing what happens during a revival.  I recommend that you see this movie.  I was personally revived and encouraged as I watched how God comes in power for the redemption of his people.

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FORGIVENESS OF SIN (2)

(Romans 5:6-8) You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.  Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might dare to die.  But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Why was this time, roughly six to eight thousand years after creation, and some two thousand years before our time, the right time?  In our attempts to answer this question, we often refer to the “Pax Romana” which basically means the peace of Rome.  During the time from 27 BC to AD 180, The Roman Empire spread to its greatest extent. It was a prosperous time that was generally peaceful. The Roman roads covered the empire, and the Roman soldiers patrolled the roads to keep them safe.  The Roman Empire encompassed a wide variety of languages, but Koine Greek was widely spoken throughout the empire. In short, the Pax Romana provided a great opportunity for spreading the Gospel to most of the known world. This is man’s idea of why the coming of Jesus was the right time, but really, only God knows for sure. 

(John 3:16&17)  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.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

We were powerless to save ourselves from our sins.  Justice demanded the death penalty for our sins.  We were in a hopeless situation.  God’s plan provided a way out of our predicament.  God loves us so much that he was willing to send his Son to take our place.  Jesus took our death penalty on himself.  He suffered a horrible death on our behalf.  He paid the price for all sinners.  Now that the price for sin has been paid, God can offer forgiveness to all of us.  This is how we enter into this forgiveness.

(John 3:18) Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

The word “whoever” declares an open invitation.  All are invited to receive forgiveness of their sins and eternal life.  God has done his part, and he is waiting with open arms for us to return to him.  All we have to do is believe.   

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FORGIVENESS OF SIN (1)

  (Romans 3:23) For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

In order to understand forgiveness of sin, let’s look at sin, clarify what it is, and review how we all became sinners.  Disobedience to God is the base definition of sin. Sin came into the world when Adam and eve disobeyed God.  God told Adam and eve to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or they would certainly die.  They ate of that tree. Death and self-awareness then entered into God’s creation.  From that time they and their offspring would be self-aware and have the knowledge of good and evil.  This opened the door to continued disobedience to God.  Humans wanted to satisfy themselves, thus they turned their back on God and sought their own way.  Their own way led them into evil. 

God loved his created ones, and he wanted to save them from themselves.  Living in a land of evil is not what he wanted for them.  His plan to redeem them was set in motion.  The goal of his plan was to make a way for forgiveness of sins and open the door for his beloved to return to fellowship with him.  The Old Testament scriptures walk us through how God patiently worked his plan.  All the time he was working toward our redemption.

Evil filled the earth and God brought a flood to reboot creation.  Noah built an ark as God commanded him.  He and his family stayed on the ark till God rescued them.  The world Noah and his family found when they left the ark was greatly changed.  Mankind’s life expectancy was shortened; meat was now part of their food, and the earth began the process of repopulation.

Time moved on, and the people began to fill the earth.  God called Abram to father a people who he chose to carry out his plan.  The story of these chosen people then filled the pages of the Old Testament scriptures.  Next week we’ll look into the culmination of God’s plan. 

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THE SECRET TO A SUCCESSFUL NEW YEAR

(Matthew 6:9-13)    This, then, is how you should pray:

Our Father in heaven, hollowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.  And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

Jesus taught this prayer to his Disciples.  It is amazingly comprehensive.  It starts out with the way we should address God.  “Our Father” clarifies that God wants a personal and relational interaction with us.  Then Jesus leads us into the praise and recognition that God is holy. 

Does watching world news lead you to despair?  “Your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” is the best prayer we can offer for the devastation we hear from news reports.  We find comfort in God’s will.  We trust in him for all things.

“Give us this day our daily bread.”  This covers not just our food but the provisions we will need for the day.  Jesus told us to not worry about tomorrow.  Today has enough for us to deal with, so we pray for today.

“And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.”  I prefer the word sins over debts; it seems to be more pointed.  God has every right to demand justice and claim revenge over us for our sins.  Instead, he sent his son to pay the debt for our sins.  Justice has been served.  In his grace and mercy, he forgave our sins and forgot his claim to revenge.  Now he expects us to do the same for those who sin against us.  Jesus paid the price for their sins as well as ours.  We need to surrender our claim for justice and revenge to the Lord and forgive those who sin against us.

Forgiving others is difficult.  As in all things we need Jesus’ help to overcome our flesh.  The importance of forgiving others cannot be overemphasized.  After his prayer, Jesus said, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 6:14&15).  Forgiveness, difficult as it may be, is required of God’s children.

“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”  We have a weakness called our sinful nature.  Jesus ends the prayer by asking for God’s help to overcome our weakness. We seek God’s protection from the one who would tempt us.  

Jesus’ prayer is a personal pray for God’s children.  It is not meant to be the only prayer.  We also pray for the sick, lost souls, and many other important things that we want to bring before our Father in heaven.  This prayer covers our daily need to connect with our heavenly Father, and it sets the tone for the day.  Starting our day the way Jesus taught us to pray will definitely improve each day of the year for us.  Living the way Jesus’ prayer directs us will definitely make 2023 more successful.  Praying for and trusting in God’s will, trusting in God’s daily provision, actively forgiving others, and asking for God’s help and protection will go a long way towards that success. 

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A CHRISTMAS PRAYER

I pray that we be full of joy and thankfulness as we celebrate the Arrival of your Son and the realization of your great love for us.  Father, we celebrate what you have planned for us and the grace and mercy you have granted to us.  We approach you in humble amazement as we join together in our Christmas celebration.  All glory, honor, and praise be unto you, our Heavenly Father. Amen!

Have a very merry Christmas, and may God’s blessings be yours throughout the New Year.

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 PSALM 82 AND GOD’S SOLUTION

Humans are at war all over the earth.  There is no peace on earth.  They kill each other and rob from each other.  Evil abounds!  The author of Psalm 82 laments the injustice on the earth.  He calls for God to intervene. We often hear cries for God to do something.  Why does he allow all this evil?

On the other hand there many acts of love and caring on the earth.  People sacrifice for the benefit of others.  They give their money and time to the needy.  Some have even given their lives for others.  Kindness and compassion do exist in the midst of daily life.

I recall that in the beginning we were created in the image of God himself.  Therefore, we are like God, beings of love.  I also remember that we chose to rebel against God and bring sin into the world.  Thus we have the by-polar existence of great good and great evil.  What can be done?

God in his infinite wisdom chose not to fix the symptoms but the cause.  His solution began with an infant born in a stable.  From this humble beginning, He brought about redemption from sin for all humans.  Yet, as in the beginning, He didn’t take away our right to choose.  He did give us the opportunity to be a part of the solution rather than part of the problem.  We can choose to repent of our sinful life and accept Jesus as our savior or continue in the pursuit of evil. 

 Yes, peace on earth is a possibility, but it is held in the hands of each person who lives on the earth.  We can elect to return to God or remain in our sins.  Evil or good, we get to choose.  God has heard our cries, and Jesus his Son is the solution for our dilemma.

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FAITH IN OUR GLORIOUS FUTURE

(Hebrews 11:13-16) All these people were still living by faith when they died.  They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on the earth.  People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own.  If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return.  Instead, they were looking for a better country–a heavenly one.  Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.

Abel, Enoch. Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Jacob are the people referred to in this Scripture.  They are the ones who admitted being foreigners and strangers on the earth.  Do you feel like a foreigner or stranger on the earth?  Maybe not, but think about the reality of our time here.  Our sojourn on the earth is a few short years compared to the eternal existence God has promised us.  In truth, we are simply preparing for the home that lies ahead.

Not to make light of our current lives.  The short period we are here is essential.  There are choices to be made and ministries to be carried out.  The most important choice is choosing Jesus as our savior and recognizing that his death on the cross and resurrection from the dead represent God’s provision for us. Through Jesus, we become sons and daughters of God’s promises.  As sons and daughters, we have an assigned purpose in God’s kingdom while here on the earth.  Like the faithful people of the past, we serve in God’s kingdom fulfilling what he has planned for us.

Looking ahead to what God has promised brings joy to us no matter what our circumstances.  Faith in our glorious future sustains us.  In hard times, we remember that this life is not going to last forever.  Our future lies in a country where there is no pain or sorrow.  Heaven will be filled with God’s love, and we will bask in his presence for eternity.

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GOD WALKING AMONG US

(John 1:1-4) In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all thing were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

Imagine that God came and sat down with you and explained how best to live the life he has given you.  What an amazing advantage that would be.  Well this really happened some 2000 years ago, and Matthew recorded the event in his Gospel.  He starts out with these words, (Matthew 5:1&2) “Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on the mountainside and sat down.  His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them.”  Matthew continues on and shares the words Jesus spoke that day found in chapters 5-7.

Probably most of the people there that day did not know they were listening to the one through whom all things were created.  At the end though, Matthew tells us they were amazed by Jesus’ teaching.  They also didn’t know that Jesus was going to die for their sins; he was offering them a fresh start, and an opportunity to live a new life in the way he taught them.

Today, there are still many who don’t recognize that Jesus is God, that he died for their sins, and that he offers them a fresh start.  They may be amazed by Jesus’ teaching, but they don’t realize that to have the power to live by them they must receive him as their savior.  For those of us who do know that Jesus is God, and that he died for our sins, when we receive him, he gives us his Holy Spirit (see John 16:13) to empower us on our quest to live by his teaching.