The
challenge of scripture to me this morning:
“No one
lights a lamp and then hides it under a basket. Instead, it is put on a
lampstand to give light to all who enter
the room.” (Luke 11:33)
And again : “
You completely forgot about justice and the love of God….. you should not leave
undone the more important things.”
(Luke 11:42)
“Lord grant
me the help needed to shine for You today.”
Did Jesus really die?
Why is it that millions of people refuse to believe that Jesus died and rose again?
The evidence that He did die is abundant:
The prophet Isaiah wrote 700 years before it happened that
the Messiah (Christ) would die - Isaiah
53:8. Also Daniel 9:26, Zechariah 12:10.
The historian Josephus records that Jesus was killed by the
governor Pilate.
The writers of the New Testament all wrote of the actual death of Jesus Christ
as factual, historical and spiritual reality. To assert (as many do) that Jesus
didn’t die, is to say that Peter, John, Matthew, Luke, Paul etc were liars. The
ancient manuscripts from east and west attest to the same.
More than the historical record, the death of Jesus Christ
is the foundation that makes true Christianity meaningful.
By His sacrifice, millions enjoy forgiveness if sins.
By His death,
millions have been reconciled to God and live in the joy of knowing God as
Father.
By His selfless
love in dying for His friends, many are inspired to be self sacrificing for
others.
Why then do so many refuse to believe that He actually
died?
1.
One sentence in a doubtful book says so.
2.
It is humiliating to feel the need of Jesus to
die for our wrong doing.
3.
A crucified leader is not a victory for the
human ego.
4.
A dead Jesus needs the miracle of resurrection for
Him to have any future
5.
A resurrected Jesus would validate the claim
that He was and is the Son of God
“Lord have mercy on the millions that deny HIM this honour –
that He died according to the command of God (John10), raised again by the
glory of the Father (Romans 6:4), to be to Saviour and Sovereign of the world. (1
Corinthians 15:25).”
jrmckee149@gmail.com
Reading the Bible
Many, many people are afraid to read the Bible,
and for many reasons.
For those who choose to read it, but find it a
daunting project, let me give some advice.
It is a library of books, not one long narrative.
It is written in various forms – History, law,
songs, prophecy, biography, instruction.
It is best to read from the Old section along with
reading from the New Testament as the old is explained by the new.
The song/poetry books in the centre give helpful
insight into the varying experience of life. They can lift the despondent soul
to heights of praise.
Many of the prophecies seem irrelevant to us, but
hidden in them are significant statements about Jesus (like Isaiah 53).
Those who read the Bible to understand everything
will be frustrated. Those who read it to criticise it will miss the blessing.
Those who read it to justify themselves and to teach others can be marred by conceit.
But those who let the Bible speak for itself , then the Holy Spirit will bring
blessings eternal.
If you are finding the Bible boring, I suggest you
double check if you are really a child of God with the Holy Spirit leading you
in knowing God. If you are unsure, seek the Lord God today. Turn away from sin,
self and the world to find forgiveness, peace and eternal life through Jesus
Christ the Lord. His promises have been proven true:
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be
saved” (Acts 16:31)
“You heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your
salvation, and believed in Him, and you were sealed with the promised Holy
Spirit” (Ephesians 1:13)
The Bible will become a joy to read (sometimes humiliating).
A book of praise to cheer each day. The guide of life to walk with Christ. The
hope for tomorrow derived from the great and precious promises. The assurance
of peace with God for eternity.
If you do not have a Bible, I have spares to
distribute.
Our lesson at school today comes from the Bible book of Matthew,
chapter 9.
The incident of a paralyzed man highlights the greater need –
physical wellbeing or spiritual peace with God.
And then it identifies Jesus as having authority to cure both problems
because He was and is the Son of God.
“I will prove that I the Son of Man, have the authority on
earth to forgive sins.”
Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said:
“Stand up, take up your mat and go home, because you are healed.”
Without medicine, Jesus could reverse the brokenness of the
physical problem. Without reference to anyone else, Jesus could forgive the man’s
spiritual problem – the problem of sin that disconnects people from God.
Indeed, who is this man who can still the storm, heal the
sick, raise the dead and declare the guilty forgiven?”
“If you will confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord (the Lord
from heaven),
And believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the
dead,
You will be saved.”
(Romans 10.9)
He can be trusted to keep His promise.
johnmckee@internode.on.net
The words of the Lord Jesus Christ in Luke 6 have humiliated
me. Then to make the final point He says “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, when
you won’t obey me?” (Luke 6:46).
He exposes the hypocrisy of hollow words and the final
destruction of sham profession.
We may theorise, teach, explain away or ignore the teachings
of the Lord, but He insists that in the final count down, it is obeying His
word that will be as solid rock.
And those who build their lives on anything else will finally
be a house in a heap of ruins.
How fitting that the Apostle Paul says : ”Let the words of
Christ dwell in you richly.” (Colossians 3:16)
The Lord Jesus Christ calls for genuine commitment, for
unfailing faith in Him and love that expressive of the love of God the Father.
johnmckee@internode.on.net
Let the words of Christ, in all their
richness, live in your hearts and make you wise.
Use His words to teach and counsel each
other.
Sing
psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts.
Bible – Colossians 3:16
The Holy Spirit
Some of my readers may
well be asking “What is this Holy Spirit?”
- some invisible being?
God is great, majestic and infinite. How can we begin to
understand such a being? Many have tried to represent God by images and idols.
God is a spirit (invisible yet a real personality), and He reveals Himself by
the Holy Spirit. God sometimes speaks with a voice, sometimes through people,
sometimes through writing, but best of all through Jesus Christ.
The Bible is the Lord God writing through the pen of people,
they being moved by the Holy Spirit to write.
It is a daunting book – so much history, law, songs, prophecy, directions,
biographies, revelations! How can we understand it? - By the help of the Holy Spirit. This is a
major difference to most other religions where reciting their scriptures is
more important than understanding them. The Bible invites research and
understanding. It has been and still is the chief medium of God speaking to
humans.
Are you open minded enough to let the Holy Spirit lead you
into all truth? Take a Bible and ask the Lord to show Himself. He will interact
with your spirit (mind). Take time to declutter your mind and concentrate. Most
times He speaks in a still small voice.
Best if you can read the Bible in your heart language. If you
don’t have one to read, please let me know.
