Because God is Love

  Because God is Love

The apostle John writes,

“Whoever does not love

 does not know God, 

because God is love.” 

                        1 John 4:8

We have just come through Easter weekend. The most holy time in the Christian calender. A time when we who believe in Christ Jesus believe that God showed how much He loved us by allowing His one and Only Son to die for our sins and rose again to sit at the right hand of God. As a result we who believe in Christ believe that everything we do should be motivated by love. Love for God, our neighbours and even our enemy.

When I was in my teens before I became a Christian I watched a movie musical called good by Mister Chips. It’s theme tune has resinated with me all the years since. It reads,

In the Morning of My Life

                         by Leslie Bricusse 

In the morning of my life

I will look to the Sunrise

At a moment in my life 

When the world is new.

And the Question

I shall ask only God can answer.

Will I be brave and strong and true,

Will I fill the world with love my whole life through?

Will I fill the world with love my whole life through?

In the evening of my life

I will look to the sunset

At a moment in my life 

When my life is through.

And the question I shall ask only I can answer 

Was I brave and strong and true.

Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

Did I fill the world with love my whole life through?

                                                                   Leslie Bricusse   

At the end of your life will you be able to honestly stand before God and say you filled the world with love your whole life through?

                     For...

"Whoever does not love

 does not know God, 

because God is love." 

                        1 John 4:8

Please think about it.

Do you believe this?

 Do you believe?

The Gospel of Matthew records,

“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 

There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.  

His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.  

The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  

He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.  

Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.' Now I have told you." 

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.  

Suddenly Jesus met them."Greetings," he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshipped him.  

Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me." Matthew 28:1-10.

Flavius Josephus, (Born: 34AD died 98 A.D.), a romanized Jewish historian. Wrote, 

"About this time arose Jesus, a wise man, who did good deeds and whose virtues were recognized. And many Jews and people of other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. However, those who became his disciples preached his doctrine.     They related that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was alive. Perhaps he was the Messiah in connection with whom the prophets foretold wonders [Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, XVIII 3.2]

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is something each person when presented with the life of Jesus must choose to believe or not. There is no middle ground here. The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the cornerstone of Christian belief. You cannot be a Christian, a follower of Christ Jesus and not believe in His resurrection. 

The Apostle Paul wrote,

"That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."  

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,  for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:9-13.

Thus my question to you is do you believe what Matthew and Paul are saying?

Please think about it.

Jesus claimed to be God

  Jesus claimed to be God.

In John’s Gospel we read of this incident in the life of Jesus where he was ask exactly who he was. John records,

“The Jews gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 

Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father’s name speak for me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep.  

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.  

I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand.  

My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  

I and the Father are one.” 

Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, “I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?” 

“We are not stoning you for any of these,” replied the Jews, “but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.” John 10:24-33

Jesus was not stupid he knew what the penalty for claiming to be God was. Yet he still made the claim.

C. S. Lewis said,

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher.    He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.” C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.

C. S. Lewis is right. Thus the question I ask you is who do you think Jesus is?

Please think about it.

A Good Friday Choice.

  A Good Friday Choice

“One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” 

  But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  

We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” 

Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” Luke 23:39-43.

The above passage of scripture is Luke’s account of a conversation that went on between the two men who were crucified with Jesus and Jesus. 

We see in those two criminals the choice every man and woman on upon hearing about Jesus must make.

One man doubting that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, said to him if you are the Christ, “Save yourself and us!” in other words prove it by getting yourself and us down from these crosses. 

This man wanted tangible proof that Jesus was who he claimed to be. He was thinking in terms of this life. Asking to escape death by Jesus getting them off the cross. This in this man’s mind would prove Jesus was the Messiah. 

What this man didn’t realize that accepting Jesus as the Messiah, the Christ is an act of faith which the other criminal did.

The other criminal said,

“Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence?  

We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.’” 

This man did what all people everywhere must do. He accepted by faith that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah. He then confessed his sins. Admitting he was “getting what his deeds deserved”.

Then he asked Jesus to simply “remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

To which Jesus replied

 “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.” 

In other words that man had his sins forgiven and got to heaven.

This is the message Christians everywhere want the world to hear.

The apostle John writes,

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.  

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” 1John 1:9-10.

The apostle Paul tells us,

“That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,  for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved”

Romans 10:9-13.

Who do you think Jesus is?

Please think about it

Sometimes it doesn't matter

  Sometimes it doesn’t matter

“To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: 

“ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’  

For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’  

The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.” ’ But wisdom is proved right by her actions.” Matthew 11:16-19

Here Jesus points out the he and John had quite different styles. John followed the strictest rules. He came eating only the basics and he never drank strong drink.

By contrast Jesus did eat and drink. Additionally he sat down with anyone who would listen to him.

Both ways were condemned by the religious leaders of his day. It was a no win situation.

The same is true today. Sometimes no matter how God decided to show himself learned men and women of this day and age they refuse to believe who Jesus is.

That being said it is still the duty of all those who believe in Christ Jesus to present God’s saving grace that comes though Christ Jesus to those around us. Even if they don’t believe it.

Think about it.

The World is Watching

  The world is watching.

The apostle Paul writes,

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17.

There is an important truth to be learned here. As Christians we are ambassadors for Christ Jesus. Everything in word and in deed is to be done in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.It is through the lense of our words and deeds that the world sees Jesus. Francis of Assisi wrote, 

“The deeds you do 

may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 

                                                                 Francis of Assisi.

If you claim to be a Christian your words and deeds are the sermon people sees and hears twenty-four seven.

Thus my question to you is; What is your sermon telling those around you about Christ?

Please think about it.

Hearts not in it

  Hearts not in it.

Jesus said,

“He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:    “‘These people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’”  Mark 7:6,7.

Question; Do you truly love God. Is your heart truly in your worship of God, or are you just going through the motions of worshipping God?

It’s easy to treat coming to church like attending a pep rally. Those who attend know how to act and know what to say and when to say it. Many come for the music, simply because it makes them feel good. Or to be socialise with friends. It has nothing to do with truly honouring God with their whole heart. 

If we are truly to be believers of Christ Jesus we need to make sure we are committed to Christ. We need to be like the Psalmist who states,

“I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope. 

My soul waits for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. Psalm 130:5,6.

Question is this you?

Please think about it.

Remember the height

 Remember the height

The apostle Paul writes,

“For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10.

Quite often I think Christians forget this scripture. 

“We are God’s workmanship” 

“We are created in Christ Jesus to do good works.”

Tony Campolo the American evangelist said,

“These issues are biblical issues: to care for the sick, to feed the hungry, to stand up for the oppressed. I contend that if the evangelical community became more biblical, everything would change.” Tony Campolo.

I agree with him. Sadly especially here in Canada and the United States non-Christians know more about what Christians are against than the good works they do. To some portions of society Christians are little more than hypocritical bigots who wish to restrict their freedoms.

This should not be so. 

 Evangelical Christianity in North America has sadly become political. A religious shell of what it once was. As such while they may think they are doing good they are not. The good works God intended them to do are not done.

The church in North America needs to heed the warning Jesus gave to the church at Ephesus when he said,

“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love.   Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.” Revelations 2:4,5.

Please think about it.

Admit it or not

 Admit it or not

Isaiah the prophet stated,

“A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” 

“All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field. 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass. 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever.”  Isaiah 40:6-8

An anonymous author wrote,

Last eve I passed beside a blacksmith’s door,

And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;

Then, looking in, I saw upon the floor

Old hammers, worn with beating years of time.

“How many anvils have you had,” said I,

“To wear and bater all these hammers so?”

“Just one,” said he, and then, with twinkling eye,

The anvil wears the hammers out, you know.”

And so, thought I, the anvil of God’s Word,

For ages skeptic blows have beat upon;

Yet, though the noise of falling blows was heard,

The anvil is unharmed - and hammers gone.

                                                                         Anonymous  

For centuries those who oppose God. Those who say God dose not exist have said the Bible message will ultimately fade away. Yet it has not. In fact those who believe in the Bible. Those who believe in Christ Jesus, are growing in number.

At the very beginning of the Christian movement two of Jesus’ disciples were on trial for preaching in his name when a Pharisee named Gamaliel stood up and said,

“But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." Acts 5:39.

I truly believe Gamaliel was right. Jesus and all he taught is of God as is the Bible. And those who are fighting against it are fighting God. Whether they want to admit it or not.

Please think about it.

What?

  What?

Jesus said,

“Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." 

And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop.  

He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' 

"Then he said, ‘This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.  

And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' 

"But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' 

"This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." Luke 12:15-21.

Now let me say there is nothing wrong with being wealthy. It’s the value you put on your wealth and what you do with it that can cause problems.

The apostle Paul tells us,

“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” 1 Timothy 6:10.

We must never put our money our earthly possessions ahead of our faith in God. Anything that is put ahead of God is an idol.

We must also remember that the Christian life is one of service. Service to God and to our fellow man.

Francis of Assisi wrote,

“Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received--only what you have given.”  Francis of Assisi.

So what have you given to God? Your time and talents? Your money? Your love? 

What have you done for your fellow man? Shown your love? Helped someone in need? What?

When you stand before God what will he say about your life here on this earth?

Please think about it.

An Instrument

  An Instrument

Jesus said,

“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.” John 3:16,17.

As Christians we must remember these words of Jesus. Jesus came to save the world not condemn it. Jesus came to show the Love of God to all mankind. Thus as Christians, as servants of God we must remember we are to love unconditionally. 

For me our actions as believers in Christ Jesus is summed up in the words of Francis of Assisi who said,

“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love,

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.” 

                                                                     Francis of Assisi.

If we as believers follow this advice from Francis of Assisi people will see our love not only for God, but for them. Making it possible for us to win souls for Christ.

Please think about it.

Let

  Let

The apostle Paul writes,

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.  

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.  

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:15-17.

I think if people know you’re a Christian they tend to think that what you do is reflective of Jesus whether you want them to do so or not. 

Francis of Assisi said,

“The deeds you do 

may be the only sermon some persons will hear today” 

                                                                        Francis of Assisi

As Christians, as believers in Christ Jesus we need to heed the words of the apostle Paul to the Colossians. Let Christs peace rule our hearts. Let the word of Christ dwell in our hearts richly. And whatever we do in word and in deed do in the name of Christ. 

For it is only when we do this that people will be attracted to Christ and the eternal life he offers us.

Please think about it.