At Pentecost believers in Jesus were filled with the Holy Spirit and it did not go unnoticed by the unbelievers. Witnesses were astonished with what they saw and heard. Some wondered what was happening and others assumed that wine was the cause. The bottom line is however; that when the Holy Spirit is at work, people will notice.
We see throughout Acts, the result of Spirit filled believers. They performed wondrous works, they spoke powerful words, they endured hardship with joy, and they proclaimed the love of Jesus and the promise of salvation through Him. The same people who crucified Christ became the first to be offered the gift of His grace and the gift of His Spirit. As we read these verses, we see how difficult it is for people to abandon traditions and rituals that are embedded in family, religion, and culture. But when Christ said that we must be born again (John 3: 3), this is what he was talking about. We must be born into His family and turn away from all those things which gave us our old identity. He wants us to be identified with Him and one with Him as He is one with the Father (John 17: 9).
When we receive Jesus as our savior, we receive His Spirit and His identity. However, dying to our old identity is a journey we must choose to travel. His Spirit will guide us and counsel us on this journey. Reading the Bible, Prayer, Meditating on Him, Serving in His Name, and Worshipping Him are all ways to become more like Him. He calls us to share the Good News which we can only do by His power and clothed in His Righteousness.
Discover and Proclaim the Truth of The Bible which is: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life." (John 3:16 NRSV). Jesus came to humanity to proclaim and give evidence to that love and He has commanded us to do the same. We, who believe, must not merely be followers, but we must be proclaimers of the Gospel Message and we can only do that by being filled with the love of God.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Ruth...A story of Adoption, Mercy, and Grace
The Book of Ruth...What a beautiful love story this book is. It highlights our need for Redemption and God's concern and care for us. He desires to meet our needs and to save us from this world with its laws and injustice. It truly shows that God's ways are higher than our own.
Concerning Love...Ruth's love for Naomi is demonstrated when she chose to leave "her people and her gods" (Ruth 1: 15). Naomi loved her daughters-in-law enough to let them go, but Ruth chose to surrender all she knew to take care of Noami..."Where you go; I will go; where you lodge; I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God." (verse 16)
Concerning Adoption...Naomi return to Bethlehem, to her kinsmen, with Ruth and considered Ruth to be family, not a servant or slave. She was regarded by Naomi as family. Ruth owned land by virtue of her marriage to Naomi's son, and was therefore treated as a daughter. God adopts us as His children when we accept Jesus as our Savior. We become His children and heirs in His kingdom.
Concerning Redemption...In Boaz we see the compassion and care of God. When Ruth went to Boaz and asked him to redeem them, saving them from the bondage of widowhood and poverty, he demonstrated a desire to save them from that end. We see a desire to protect Ruth from those who would see her as less than he saw her... not as family, but as a foreigner or servant. We see that Boaz recognized that Naomi and Ruth needed a redeemer, and that he could meet that need. Boaz shows us the nature of God...His desires for us.
Concerning Grace...When Boaz met with the closest next of kin, who had first right to offer redemption, and ten elders to discuss the redemption of Naomi and Ruth (which was done in accordance with the law) the next of kin refused to do it because Ruth was a Moabite and he would not take her as his wife and damage his own inheritance. He based his decision on Jewish law. Boaz then offered redemption and married Ruth....following his heart instead of the law. This is a good example of Grace. We cannot earn God's grace, nor can we receive it by following a bunch of laws, which we fail to do over and over. It is only by His goodness do we receive the gift of grace.
Jesus came to show us God's love, inviting us to become children of God by receiving Him, making His God our God, and by asking Him to redeem us. Ruth and Naomi recognized that they needed a redeemer and they knew who to turn to. As Christians, we have already recognized and received the redemption that Jesus offers. We need to help others recognized their need for a redeemer and introduce them to Jesus.
Concerning Love...Ruth's love for Naomi is demonstrated when she chose to leave "her people and her gods" (Ruth 1: 15). Naomi loved her daughters-in-law enough to let them go, but Ruth chose to surrender all she knew to take care of Noami..."Where you go; I will go; where you lodge; I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God." (verse 16)
Concerning Adoption...Naomi return to Bethlehem, to her kinsmen, with Ruth and considered Ruth to be family, not a servant or slave. She was regarded by Naomi as family. Ruth owned land by virtue of her marriage to Naomi's son, and was therefore treated as a daughter. God adopts us as His children when we accept Jesus as our Savior. We become His children and heirs in His kingdom.
Concerning Redemption...In Boaz we see the compassion and care of God. When Ruth went to Boaz and asked him to redeem them, saving them from the bondage of widowhood and poverty, he demonstrated a desire to save them from that end. We see a desire to protect Ruth from those who would see her as less than he saw her... not as family, but as a foreigner or servant. We see that Boaz recognized that Naomi and Ruth needed a redeemer, and that he could meet that need. Boaz shows us the nature of God...His desires for us.
Concerning Grace...When Boaz met with the closest next of kin, who had first right to offer redemption, and ten elders to discuss the redemption of Naomi and Ruth (which was done in accordance with the law) the next of kin refused to do it because Ruth was a Moabite and he would not take her as his wife and damage his own inheritance. He based his decision on Jewish law. Boaz then offered redemption and married Ruth....following his heart instead of the law. This is a good example of Grace. We cannot earn God's grace, nor can we receive it by following a bunch of laws, which we fail to do over and over. It is only by His goodness do we receive the gift of grace.
Jesus came to show us God's love, inviting us to become children of God by receiving Him, making His God our God, and by asking Him to redeem us. Ruth and Naomi recognized that they needed a redeemer and they knew who to turn to. As Christians, we have already recognized and received the redemption that Jesus offers. We need to help others recognized their need for a redeemer and introduce them to Jesus.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Mark 10: 45 "The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve...."
Jesus spoke these words after James and John came to Him and asked that they be granted seats at His right and left in His glory. Of course this made the other ten apostles angry. So here we are; three years into Jesus ministry, approaching Jerusalem where Jesus faces torture and death, and He needs to explain to those who will carry on His ministry how to "lead".
First I see that he did not scold His disciples. He did not get angry with James and John for their pride. He did not point out the jealousy of the other ten. He used this conflict to point to Himself and the contrast between Him and the rulers of the world...(42-44) "....You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all."
After three years of ministry with the disciples, Jesus still had to point to His ministry as serving others and His Father, by giving His life as "a ransom for many". His purpose was not to lord over the people, but to be their slave; to do for them what they could not do for themselves.
Jesus' church was born and has lived because believers serve. Christ did not establish the church as an institution...the Christian Church, but as a body of believers...Christians! His greatness has not been measured by what people have done for Him, but what people have done for others because of His love being manifested in them by His Spirit. Jesus' church is full of servants, not leaders. As His Church, we need to be responding to His leading, His Spirit, and not looking for direction from leaders. If you think about taking food to a neighbor...do it! If you are passing a nursing home and you remember that a church member is there, stop and say hello! If you think about a troubled friend, pause and pray! That Still Small Voice is calling us to serve.
First I see that he did not scold His disciples. He did not get angry with James and John for their pride. He did not point out the jealousy of the other ten. He used this conflict to point to Himself and the contrast between Him and the rulers of the world...(42-44) "....You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all."
After three years of ministry with the disciples, Jesus still had to point to His ministry as serving others and His Father, by giving His life as "a ransom for many". His purpose was not to lord over the people, but to be their slave; to do for them what they could not do for themselves.
Jesus' church was born and has lived because believers serve. Christ did not establish the church as an institution...the Christian Church, but as a body of believers...Christians! His greatness has not been measured by what people have done for Him, but what people have done for others because of His love being manifested in them by His Spirit. Jesus' church is full of servants, not leaders. As His Church, we need to be responding to His leading, His Spirit, and not looking for direction from leaders. If you think about taking food to a neighbor...do it! If you are passing a nursing home and you remember that a church member is there, stop and say hello! If you think about a troubled friend, pause and pray! That Still Small Voice is calling us to serve.
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