Jesus' Sermon on the Mount was a teaching event that really caught the attention of the Jews who heard Him. Those who heard Him, recognized that He was teaching from and a new perspective.
The last two verses in Matthew 7 grabbed my attention: Matthew 7: 28-29 Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
The crowds were taught by one who looked at the world through the eyes of God and not as the world sees. The sermon begins with the Beatitudes...the Blessed Are's...which are so contradictory to the teachings of the world. He points out in this sermon the contrast between the righteousness of God as compared to what man call righteous...murder as God sees it, adultery in God's sight, forgiveness, judging others, and God's love and faithfulness to us. This sermon illuminates the difference between our humanity and God's majesty.
As we read the words in these chapters, it becomes very clear that our best is not good enough. Our understanding is lacking. Our knowledge and wisdom are limited. Our worldly perspectives will be flawed, in every aspect of life, as long as we are looking at the world through our own eyes and using our own understanding.
We need a Savior and thankfully, Jesus offered Himself. Through His death and resurrection and with the gift of the Holy Spirit we can see the world differently. By prayer and reading of His Word, He will transform us into that light He calls us to be.
Matthew 6: 16 "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."
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, November 27, 2012
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
John 4:24, "God is a Spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth."
I go to church on Sunday mornings to attend a "worship" service. I know when I walk into the sanctuary that we will have morning announcements, greeting of one another, an opening prayer, a hymn, an anthem by the choir, a time of offering, the Pastor's prayer, and a sermon message. We will close with a hymn and if we're lucky we will beat the church down the street to the restaurants. We all know how slow service can be if the Baptists get to the restaurants first.
In John 4: 23-24, Jesus explained to the Samaritan woman at the well, what true worship is: 23 "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him." 24 "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." Jesus makes this statement as a matter of fact, not as an assignment or command. He is merely stating a truth. As we read on, we read that the Samaritan woman acknowledges that the Messiah is coming and that he will proclaim all things to us, at which Jesus replies, "I am he." (vs 26). So Jesus is proclaiming what worship must be!
If worship isn't of spirit and truth, it is not worship. I know that when I feel the Spirit's leading and receive instruction from Him, it is never a routine or everyday, ho hum experience. I always have a sense of awe and an awareness that God's ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts are higher than my thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). True worship is filled with the same awe and awareness. Worship is a response to God not an assignment from Him. When Jesus said that the Father seeks such as these to worship him, He is looking at the hearts of the worshipers. He is not looking at the worship outline or church bulletin to see if it is true worship.
Sunday worship is a time of responding to God....aware that He is seeking us, and rejoicing that we have been found and saved By Him. His Spirit will rejoice with us as we realize that we are one with Him just as Jesus is. The Holy Spirit wants us to feel the same connection with the Father as Jesus experienced and experiences today. God will use our worship time to encourage us and equip us to be better conduits of His love. Worship is an encounter with God that transforms us and helps us to be joyful and patient even if the Baptists get to the restaurants first.
In John 4: 23-24, Jesus explained to the Samaritan woman at the well, what true worship is: 23 "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him." 24 "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." Jesus makes this statement as a matter of fact, not as an assignment or command. He is merely stating a truth. As we read on, we read that the Samaritan woman acknowledges that the Messiah is coming and that he will proclaim all things to us, at which Jesus replies, "I am he." (vs 26). So Jesus is proclaiming what worship must be!
If worship isn't of spirit and truth, it is not worship. I know that when I feel the Spirit's leading and receive instruction from Him, it is never a routine or everyday, ho hum experience. I always have a sense of awe and an awareness that God's ways are higher than my ways and His thoughts are higher than my thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). True worship is filled with the same awe and awareness. Worship is a response to God not an assignment from Him. When Jesus said that the Father seeks such as these to worship him, He is looking at the hearts of the worshipers. He is not looking at the worship outline or church bulletin to see if it is true worship.
Sunday worship is a time of responding to God....aware that He is seeking us, and rejoicing that we have been found and saved By Him. His Spirit will rejoice with us as we realize that we are one with Him just as Jesus is. The Holy Spirit wants us to feel the same connection with the Father as Jesus experienced and experiences today. God will use our worship time to encourage us and equip us to be better conduits of His love. Worship is an encounter with God that transforms us and helps us to be joyful and patient even if the Baptists get to the restaurants first.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Acts 2 Peter introduces the world to the Holy Spirit
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.
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.
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