A WASTE?
I was singing "O Sacred Head Now Wounded" to the Lord today. We are talking about the smartest man in history. The wisest man who ever lived. The greatest moral teacher bar none. Not to minimize those, but much more, the eternal everlasting Son of God. Viciously attacked. Bruised, stuck, abused more than any boxer or any person anywhere. Killed in agonizing fashion. And we are told, it PLEASED God.
Today so many ministries concentrate almost exclusively on our well-being. On being healthy, wealthy and full of self-esteeem. On being approved by the world. On having the bling. On being all you can be. STOP!
I taught teens in a Pakistani Church for two years. I was privileged to know a number of adults from Pakistan. When a pastor was killed for the sake of Jesus, they celebrated - what an HONOR to be killed for Jesus! What a PRIVILEGE to be in the Book of the Martyrs. What a contrast1
Most people have rejected and will reject Jesus as their Lord and Savior who suffered, bled, and died for them - by some counts 95%. Only God knows the number, but many would consider that the consummate waste. If the death of YOUR son would save perhaps 5% of the people, would you sacrifice him? I have two sons - both wonderful young men, but neither is Jesus Christ. Neither is perfect and neither is the smartest man in history, or the wisest man who ever lived, or the greatest moral teacher. Neither are your sons. I don't know that I could pull an Abraham if God called the Isaac card on me.
Yet God our Father was PLEASED that Jesus should suffer for us. We need to read and understand church history for the last 2,000 years and appreciate those lesser sacred heads wounded to maintain our spiritual genealogy from Jesus Christ. We should not mind suffering when we speak out for Jesus.
A Jewish lawyer I know was at the Eagles game yesterday. Eagles Quarterback Nick Foles was viciously hit from behind after the play was over by Chris Baker. The man in front of him screamed, " You f-ing N-". The lawyer had the nerve (and put his well-being on the line) to confront the man and reprove him. How many of us would do that or even more importantly defend the name of Jesus which is taken in vain more times than we can count?
We need to be more concerned about the Kingdom of God than the kingdom of bling. We must care more about truth than political correctness. We must reject so-called ministers who cultivate greed and self-centeredness in Christians. and hold fast to the eternal gospel for which we must be willing to suffer and die - even losing our own "sacred head" to the guillotines that ISIS and others would gladly put to use around the clock.
Speak up for righteousness. Oppose evil. Make sure the suffering and death of Jesus Christ and all the martyrs who followed is not in vain in YOUR life. Be willing to lose your life for Christ's sake so that he can save it! May God bless you!
Some Scriptures to help you!
Isaiah 53:10, Acts 5:41, 9:16, Rom. 8:17, 36, 1 Cor. 1:8, 4:10, 2 Cor. 4:5, 11, 11:23. 12:10, Phil. 1:29, 3:10, 2 Tim. 2:12, Heb. 11:25, Jas. 5:10.I Pet. 2:20, 3:14, 4:16, 5:10, Matt. 5:11, 10:22, 39, 19:29.
Today so many ministries concentrate almost exclusively on our well-being. On being healthy, wealthy and full of self-esteeem. On being approved by the world. On having the bling. On being all you can be. STOP!
I taught teens in a Pakistani Church for two years. I was privileged to know a number of adults from Pakistan. When a pastor was killed for the sake of Jesus, they celebrated - what an HONOR to be killed for Jesus! What a PRIVILEGE to be in the Book of the Martyrs. What a contrast1
Most people have rejected and will reject Jesus as their Lord and Savior who suffered, bled, and died for them - by some counts 95%. Only God knows the number, but many would consider that the consummate waste. If the death of YOUR son would save perhaps 5% of the people, would you sacrifice him? I have two sons - both wonderful young men, but neither is Jesus Christ. Neither is perfect and neither is the smartest man in history, or the wisest man who ever lived, or the greatest moral teacher. Neither are your sons. I don't know that I could pull an Abraham if God called the Isaac card on me.
Yet God our Father was PLEASED that Jesus should suffer for us. We need to read and understand church history for the last 2,000 years and appreciate those lesser sacred heads wounded to maintain our spiritual genealogy from Jesus Christ. We should not mind suffering when we speak out for Jesus.
A Jewish lawyer I know was at the Eagles game yesterday. Eagles Quarterback Nick Foles was viciously hit from behind after the play was over by Chris Baker. The man in front of him screamed, " You f-ing N-". The lawyer had the nerve (and put his well-being on the line) to confront the man and reprove him. How many of us would do that or even more importantly defend the name of Jesus which is taken in vain more times than we can count?
We need to be more concerned about the Kingdom of God than the kingdom of bling. We must care more about truth than political correctness. We must reject so-called ministers who cultivate greed and self-centeredness in Christians. and hold fast to the eternal gospel for which we must be willing to suffer and die - even losing our own "sacred head" to the guillotines that ISIS and others would gladly put to use around the clock.
Speak up for righteousness. Oppose evil. Make sure the suffering and death of Jesus Christ and all the martyrs who followed is not in vain in YOUR life. Be willing to lose your life for Christ's sake so that he can save it! May God bless you!
Some Scriptures to help you!
Isaiah 53:10, Acts 5:41, 9:16, Rom. 8:17, 36, 1 Cor. 1:8, 4:10, 2 Cor. 4:5, 11, 11:23. 12:10, Phil. 1:29, 3:10, 2 Tim. 2:12, Heb. 11:25, Jas. 5:10.I Pet. 2:20, 3:14, 4:16, 5:10, Matt. 5:11, 10:22, 39, 19:29.
posted by John | 4:23 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home