If I Were Jesus

     Looking back on Jesus’ life and ministry, I have noted several ways in which I think Jesus could have improved things.  Not that anything He did was wrong, mind you.  But I can’t help seeing how He could have had it a bit easier if He had been willing to do and say certain things differently.

     For example, He was the Son of God.  Well then, He needed to exert Himself a little more forcefully.  Buy some nice clothing.  Purchase a house or building in which to hold His classes and seminars.  Challenge His critics to debates.  Eat healthier food.  He should have taken James’ and John’s advice to call down fire on that Samaritan village (Luke 9:51-54).  That would have forced everyone around to take notice of who He really was.

     Yet, I guess He wouldn’t have been able to fulfill His purpose for coming which He said was to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).  And His example of service where He washed the disciple’s feet (John 13:1-17) was perfect.  I’ll have to admit, He couldn’t accomplish this by exerting Himself the way I thought He should.

     Well, then, how about another example.  Jesus was the Son of God.  Therefore, He should have spent His time with the learned scholars of His day, not with the peasants and indigent folk.  I mean, what could a diseased leper ever do to help His kingdom?  They weren’t even allowed near the city.  And tax collectors; those cheats.  Could they really be happy with a smaller income and a teaching profession?  Come on, now.  Jesus should have spent more time convincing those who spent their days studying the Law and Prophets.  He could have easily proven His power with a few choice miracles and “whipped” those guys into the spiritual shape God intended for them.

     Yet, I guess He wouldn’t have been able to fulfill His stated mission which was to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 19:10).  The Jewish religious leaders didn’t know they needed to be saved.  It was the common folk who understood their need for a Savior.  I’ll have to admit, He would have been casting His pearls before swine if he had done it my way.

     All right then.  Let’s try another example.  Being the Master and Teacher, He should have been more careful than to get too close with any of His students and disciples.  The rule is that leaders cannot rule over their subordinates if they bring themselves down to a lower level of authority.  But Jesus compromised His higher position by building intimate relationships with anyone and everyone that He came into contact with.  After all, respect is earned, not granted.

     Yet, I guess He wouldn’t have been able to fulfill His purpose of showing us how much He loves us by acting any other way (John 15:9).  We know what love really is because Jesus came to earth and demonstrated true love to those He came to serve and to save.  I’ll have to admit, He has provided an extremely high standard for us to attain to that wouldn’t have been if He had done things my way.

     So, I guess I wouldn’t change anything Jesus did or said.  The way He did things turned out to be perfect after all.  I can see that what needs to happen is for me to change the things I do and say so that they match what Jesus did and said.  In this way, I will be fulfilling the very same purposes that He was - to serve, seek the lost and love everyone.  And isn’t that what God has been trying to get me to understand all along?  That I need to be like Jesus; that I must reflect Him to everyone I come into contact with every day; that I need to fit my words and deeds to match His; that I cannot rest until I am just like Jesus.

Doug

Prepared For Jesus

     I knew a man that was involved in building houses.  I asked him what the most difficult part of the house was to build.  “It’s impossible to describe the time and energy that goes into planning,” he said.  “The actual construction of the house is easy once the plans are in print.”

     All of life is the same way.  Every important step requires preparation.  In school we must learn the basics before going on to the “good stuff.”  At work, we must go through training before we can do the job properly and safely.  Preparation is the hardest, most tedious and frustrating thing we will go through in life, yet it is also the most important.  Without preparation, we will not be able to succeed at anything in life. 

     When Jesus came to “seek and save the lost,” He didn’t just appear on the scene.  God had His people go through a long period of preparation ahead of time.  In looking back at God’s planning stages, His love for us is plainly obvious.

     There were the sacrifices to teach that sin carries a death sentence - and that God will accept a substitute in our place.  God’s choice of Abraham teaches us the importance that faith plays.  Through the Law of Moses, we see how far our sinfulness is from His holiness.  The Tabernacle rituals depicted the role of the Messiah in bringing us back to God.  And the prophets told God’s people how to recognize the Savior when he arrived to finish the plan.

     Centuries of hard work, patience and love for God.  And even so, most of God’s people were not ready.  The disciples misunderstood.  The people Jesus was sent to save crucified Him.  Not until 50 days later did 3,000 of them realize what they had done.

     And what about you?  Have you prepared yourself to take advantage of what Jesus has offered?  Are you ready to live like Him everyday and so fulfill God’s purpose for your life?  Are you ready for when he returns again?

     God went to a lot of trouble to save you from your sin.  Learn from all of this and start preparing for the final journey.  It will happen sooner than you think.

Doug

Jesus Rules!

            “What is wrong with people today?”  “How can someone plant a bomb and kill hundreds of innocent people?”  “How can a mother take the life of her own child?”  “How can two people who say they love each other be so cruel to one another?”  I hear these and other questions all the time.  I’ve often asked them myself.  I call these “why” questions.  The answers that go with them are “I don’t know” answers, because only God knows the reasons.

            The only explanation that makes sense to me is that, for many people, God’s principles are out-of-date, impractical and irrelevant.  His people, due to mixing their religion with cultural norms and biases, have perverted the truth about Him so that whatever makes them feel good or bad becomes the standard for right and wrong.  The doubters, God-haters, and social critics consider Christians and their religion to be promoters of bigotry, hatred, violence, and misinformation. And, honestly, who can blame them when those who claim the Name live opposite of what He stands for?

            So it should be obvious why all of these frightening things are happening.  Satan rules in the lives of most people!  Who else can cause so much hatred and chaos?

            Somehow these people (whether in Christ or out) have to be convinced to replace the Deceiver (lies) with their original Ruler (truth); the One they recklessly traded away because they couldn’t see how the Bible applies to their lives today or because it doesn’t affirm their feel-good belief-system or their comfort-zone laziness.  They have to be convinced that God’s principles and Jesus’ teachings make sense and work in every aspect of 21st century living – even if it causes the majority to rise up against them and publicly ridicule them, or to categorize them as “billy-goat herders,” and unenlightened, closed-minded and judgmental hypocrites.  We must all come to understand that God’s way is the only way if we are to get rid of these distressing acts of crime and violence.  And fortunately we have the very thing we need to accomplish this.  God and His Word: the only thing that can defeat Satan.

            The Apostle Peter says it this way; “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.  Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:3, 4).

            Notice that we get this power through knowledge.  That means Bible study – not just a cursory reading or storing up trivial facts.  And especially not allowing someone else to tell us what it says or means. We personally must gain the knowledge necessary to use God’s power and effectively teach others so that they also may be able to use it to escape from the Deceiver. 

            By participating in the divine nature (acting like Jesus) we can let the world know that Jesus rules! This is the only way to be free of the effects of Satan’s rules. But it’s going to take total commitment. It will mean being willing to stand against the ridicule, slander, name-calling, and ostracizing that is sure to come. For those who choose to put God first in this way, remember that you are blessed and have a better place to look forward to than your irreligious critics do. And for those who try to avoid the negativity that loyalty to Christ generates, just remember who you will have to be spending an eternity in turmoil with.

            Make doubly sure that Jesus rules in your life, not public opinion. Get to know Him better day by day through personal experience and practice regardless how others around you choose to live.  And look forward to a comfortable eternity of being free from the troubles, chaos, and hatred caused by those who have chosen Satan’s rule.

Doug

The Mighty One Will Save

            I used to think that I'd "seen it all": Drugs in elementary school, Guns on the playground, Armed guards patrolling the hallways in high school, People killing each other for a few bucks, Gangs setting houses on fire because someone looked at them funny.  Yes, I thought I had seen just about everything until one day I read about a 7 year old girl who had burned to death in a house fire.  What was disheartening is that her father stood below her window with arms open, begging her to jump so he could catch her.  But she wouldn't do it.  She just couldn't trust him to catch her.  Sadly, she perished in the deadly smoke and flames.

            There was no history of child abuse on the part of the parents.  The family was very close; very religious; a good example in their new subdivision.  So why didn't she jump to safety?  Probably for the same reason people today won't jump into God's arms to escape the fires of hell.  They don't trust Him to take care of their lives both physical and spiritual).  So many good people are destined to die because they won’t trust in God's ability to rescue.

            Scripture is rich with verses that prove . . .

                        God is big enough to handle any of life’s problems. 

                        He will save you – He alone is Mighty to Save. 

                        He can be trusted – He has your best interests at heart. 

            Space does not allow me to list all of the passages which were written to encourage us to jump safely into God's arms.  Here are a few to encourage you to step out and trust God to lead you.  Read these thoughtfully: Psalms 37:4-6;  Romans 8:28;  Ephesians 3:20;  Hebrews 13:5,6.

            Make a sure connection with God today.  Allow yourself to “jump into His arms” so He can help you work out the solution to your problems.  Don’t get impatient looking for the quick fix or the answer that meets your expectations.  It's unrealistic to think that the answer will be immediate or the way we want it to be.  Sometimes what is required is more learning, understanding, or experience on our part before we can be ready for His answer – the right answer.  But rest assured, His reply always turns out to be the best one.

            Look through your Bible daily. It is a history of how God has dealt with humans.  You’ll find that He has never failed to keep a promise.  Never.  And in all of His dealings with mankind, He has always worked for everyone’s benefit.  Always.  The ultimate proof of all of this was when He sent Jesus to live a perfect life and to die to free us from the guilt of our sins.

            So go ahead and jump.  He has promised to catch you.  You will be safe.

Doug