View the Video Blog for this Lesson: I John 1:1-4 (Part 3)
I John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our
eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life
THE STUDY
Yesterday we looked at John laying down the foundation for combating the Gnostic view. He starts with the beginning, Jesus, and today we will read how he starts to build from that. As we read, John not only states "That which was from the beginning" he brings all of us into the picture. He does this by using three of the five human senses; hearing, seeing and touching. There might be some debate on the word "We." Is John talking about the disciples or is he referring to all who the Epistle was written to? I personally believe it is not important the debate of WHO heard, seen and touched, but what John brings importance too is that "WE" is inclusive. WE, being all who have heard about, seen close up or far away, and has touched or been touched (emotionally or physically) by this one named Jesus. John is revealing or reminding, those who are listening, what he and others have heard, seen, and felt from Jesus. Yes, John was privy to the inter-personal relationship with Jesus but as for the overall message Jesus lived and shared, all were exposed to it.
John continues to build his case by applying layer after layer. What do I mean by that? John starts off with stating, "which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands"! If you look at this closely you can see a natural progression; hearing, to seeing to touching. I know that as human beings we are not the most trusting of creatures. If someone tells us something we hear it first, then we will need to see it, and then the final straw is usually when we have that item in our hands. John reminds the reader that not only did they hear about Jesus, not only did they see the life and miracles of Jesus but they touched and was touched by this one named Jesus.
WALK AWAY WITH THIS ...
This is a great place to stop for today. We can walk away with this in mind .....
* Once we hear about this one named Jesus we are forever accountable to the fact. We will not be able to stand before Jesus on judgement day and say, "I never heard of you!"
* Many of us are at different points in this walk with Jesus! You might be at the point of hearing about Him. Others may have progressed to the point of seeing Jesus working through others. But finally, some of us have felt the touch of Jesus in our hearts.
CONCLUSION
Whatever the case may be, keep on keeping on! Don't stop at hearing about Him or stop at seeing him once or twice, or ever stop after He has touched you. He has so much more to offer in love for you and I. There is a banquet table of blessings He has for us. Step up to the table and taste and see how good Jesus is!
Blessings my friends!
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
The Study of "First John!" - 1:1-4 (Part 2)
Video Blog for this Lesson: I John 1:1-4 (Part 2)
Let me say what an honor it is not only to study the word of God but to do it with you. I hope you have a hunger like I do to sink your teeth into the meat of scripture. No longer drinking of milk but tasting and digesting what is needed to become a healthier follower of Christ! Lets get started!
THE STUDY
1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life.
Let us not forget what and who John is combating, Gnosticism: a belief that their way is a better way. John starts to lay down the foundation for his presentation to address this issue. He starts with "THE BEGINNING!" This seems only natural for John being that he does the very same thing in his Gospel of John (1:1) In the beginning was the Word. This can be compared to the O.T. passage found in Genesis 1:1 In the beginning. John is finding common ground with the Gnostic's. They professed to give their approval and patronage to the gospel of Jesus as well as the Jews.(1) So John starts "in the beginning" on common ground.
One of the commentaries (Bakers NT Commentary) I read focused on the the first two words of this passage "That which." Baker writes, that the first word in this epistle is “that” instead of “who.” Instead of saying, “Jesus Christ, who was from the beginning,” John writes, “That which was from the beginning.” The term that is broader than the word who, for it includes the person and message of Jesus Christ.(2) I find this difficult to digest. The question comes to mind, "Is their a difference between the Person of Jesus and His message?" If we look at who John is dealing with I then understand why he would use this wording. But the question in my mind still remains, is there a difference?
I think this is a great place to stop for today! We need to answer this question in our hearts and minds. Is there a difference? Does it matter if there is or isn't?
WALK AWAY WITH THIS ......
We need to remember some important facts when it comes to our walk with Jesus:
* He was, is, and will always be! Meaning, there was never a point in time or history when Jesus didn't exist.
* Our entire belief system stems from the understanding of the Trinity. (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)
* If we don't consider Jesus as "the way , the truth, and the life", Houston we have a problem!
CONCLUSION:
Concerning leadership, John Maxwell states, "everything rises and falls on leadership." I understand the context of which that statement is made. But let me say when it comes to our faith, our eternal existence, or our purpose on earth "Everything rises and falls with Jesus!"
Blessings my friends
Pastor Rod
(1) The Pulpit Commentary: 1 John. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (iv). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
(2) Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 14: New Testament commentary : Exposition of James and the Epistles of John. New Testament Commentary (234). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
Let me say what an honor it is not only to study the word of God but to do it with you. I hope you have a hunger like I do to sink your teeth into the meat of scripture. No longer drinking of milk but tasting and digesting what is needed to become a healthier follower of Christ! Lets get started!
THE STUDY
1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life.
Let us not forget what and who John is combating, Gnosticism: a belief that their way is a better way. John starts to lay down the foundation for his presentation to address this issue. He starts with "THE BEGINNING!" This seems only natural for John being that he does the very same thing in his Gospel of John (1:1) In the beginning was the Word. This can be compared to the O.T. passage found in Genesis 1:1 In the beginning. John is finding common ground with the Gnostic's. They professed to give their approval and patronage to the gospel of Jesus as well as the Jews.(1) So John starts "in the beginning" on common ground.
One of the commentaries (Bakers NT Commentary) I read focused on the the first two words of this passage "That which." Baker writes, that the first word in this epistle is “that” instead of “who.” Instead of saying, “Jesus Christ, who was from the beginning,” John writes, “That which was from the beginning.” The term that is broader than the word who, for it includes the person and message of Jesus Christ.(2) I find this difficult to digest. The question comes to mind, "Is their a difference between the Person of Jesus and His message?" If we look at who John is dealing with I then understand why he would use this wording. But the question in my mind still remains, is there a difference?
I think this is a great place to stop for today! We need to answer this question in our hearts and minds. Is there a difference? Does it matter if there is or isn't?
WALK AWAY WITH THIS ......
We need to remember some important facts when it comes to our walk with Jesus:
* He was, is, and will always be! Meaning, there was never a point in time or history when Jesus didn't exist.
* Our entire belief system stems from the understanding of the Trinity. (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)
* If we don't consider Jesus as "the way , the truth, and the life", Houston we have a problem!
CONCLUSION:
Concerning leadership, John Maxwell states, "everything rises and falls on leadership." I understand the context of which that statement is made. But let me say when it comes to our faith, our eternal existence, or our purpose on earth "Everything rises and falls with Jesus!"
Blessings my friends
Pastor Rod
(1) The Pulpit Commentary: 1 John. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (iv). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
(2) Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 14: New Testament commentary : Exposition of James and the Epistles of John. New Testament Commentary (234). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
The Study of "First John!" - 1:1-4 (Part 1)
Video Blog to this lesson: I John 1:1-4 (Part 1)
I Jn 1:1-4
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. (Underline is my emphasis)
As we study scripture one of the first things to look for is words that are repeated in a passage. In First John 1:1-4 we see a few words that are repeated; Which (6), seen (3), heard (2), manifest (2), and proclaim (2)! This should draw our attention to and cause us to start looking them up to see if they are all the same word. We need to understand why different words are being used. Understanding the style or purpose of the writing helps us to answer some of these questions.
John writes this epistle to address the influence of Gnosticism. He does this with simple but yet direct wording and phrases. The ideas which he places before us are among the deepest mysteries of revelation: man’s relation to God, to the evil one, and to the world; the Incarnation; the Atonement; the judgment to come; the Son’s relation to the Father and to the Spirit; the essential characteristics of the Godhead. And all this is stated in propositions, which commonly contain simple words in a very simple construction. “Now are we children of God.” “He that doeth sin is of the devil.” “The world is passing away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” “The Father hath sent the Son, the Saviour of the world.” “The blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” “God is Light, and in him is no darkness at all.” “God is Love.” What form of expression could be more simple? There is not a dependent sentence or a relative clause in any of these statements, much less an involved construction. And the words used are of the simplest. Yet who can fathom the depth of such statements?(1)
What we need to do is look up each of these repeated words and their definitions. Your homework today is to do just that. We will come back tomorrow with this information and see what God has revealed to each of us.
I will start today with the word "which!" It is found 6 times in the first 3 verses. In the Hebrew, this word (Hos) is defined as (Who, or Which)! This is a singular pronoun which means it is addressing one noun! All the other times the word "which" is used it means the same thing except in verse 2. The word used here is (Hostis) and the meaning of this word is (Whoever, or Who)! This word is found to be a relative pronoun. This means that it qualifies a noun by relating it to another phrase or sentence. In this case John relates Verse 1 and 2a to the latter part of Verse 2. This connection is JESUS!
So to conclude today let us walk away understanding that John is constant in his writings. In the Gospel of John and in this epistle (I John) he introduces Jesus. If you would like to know what that may look like today take a look at this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix3MHV_RfeM. If today, you might be reading this and thinking to yourself, "I don't know Jesus" let me introduce you. He is the one who will love you, care for you, lift you up when needed, and tell you when you are doing wrong. This is who John is revealing in his writings found in the Bible. Blessings my friends!
Pastor Rod
(1) The Pulpit Commentary: 1 John. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (ix–x). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
I Jn 1:1-4
That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete. (Underline is my emphasis)
As we study scripture one of the first things to look for is words that are repeated in a passage. In First John 1:1-4 we see a few words that are repeated; Which (6), seen (3), heard (2), manifest (2), and proclaim (2)! This should draw our attention to and cause us to start looking them up to see if they are all the same word. We need to understand why different words are being used. Understanding the style or purpose of the writing helps us to answer some of these questions.
John writes this epistle to address the influence of Gnosticism. He does this with simple but yet direct wording and phrases. The ideas which he places before us are among the deepest mysteries of revelation: man’s relation to God, to the evil one, and to the world; the Incarnation; the Atonement; the judgment to come; the Son’s relation to the Father and to the Spirit; the essential characteristics of the Godhead. And all this is stated in propositions, which commonly contain simple words in a very simple construction. “Now are we children of God.” “He that doeth sin is of the devil.” “The world is passing away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” “The Father hath sent the Son, the Saviour of the world.” “The blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.” “God is Light, and in him is no darkness at all.” “God is Love.” What form of expression could be more simple? There is not a dependent sentence or a relative clause in any of these statements, much less an involved construction. And the words used are of the simplest. Yet who can fathom the depth of such statements?(1)
What we need to do is look up each of these repeated words and their definitions. Your homework today is to do just that. We will come back tomorrow with this information and see what God has revealed to each of us.
I will start today with the word "which!" It is found 6 times in the first 3 verses. In the Hebrew, this word (Hos) is defined as (Who, or Which)! This is a singular pronoun which means it is addressing one noun! All the other times the word "which" is used it means the same thing except in verse 2. The word used here is (Hostis) and the meaning of this word is (Whoever, or Who)! This word is found to be a relative pronoun. This means that it qualifies a noun by relating it to another phrase or sentence. In this case John relates Verse 1 and 2a to the latter part of Verse 2. This connection is JESUS!
So to conclude today let us walk away understanding that John is constant in his writings. In the Gospel of John and in this epistle (I John) he introduces Jesus. If you would like to know what that may look like today take a look at this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ix3MHV_RfeM. If today, you might be reading this and thinking to yourself, "I don't know Jesus" let me introduce you. He is the one who will love you, care for you, lift you up when needed, and tell you when you are doing wrong. This is who John is revealing in his writings found in the Bible. Blessings my friends!
Pastor Rod
(1) The Pulpit Commentary: 1 John. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (ix–x). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Monday, August 15, 2011
The Study of "First John!" - Introduction
Video Blog for Today's Study: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJnNDLpvmcA
Good morning,
Over the next few months we are going to be walking through the First Epistle of John. Today I would like to share with you some interesting things concerning the reason why the epistle was written and some discussion on the debate of calling it an "epistle" or a "letter?"
First John is authored by the Apostle John or as he refers to himself as "Jesus' beloved." He likes to remind us of this. There is not a great debate on who authored this epistle. The debate comes in the assessment of whether it is an epistle or a letter. You might be asking yourself what is the difference? A letter is considered a writing that is directed to a specific person and is not something that is required to be circulated among other churches. An epistle is a writing that is viewed as to be circulated and is addressing overall issues opposed to individual ones. Summing this up it looks like this:
- Epistle: is to a group of people and to be circulated among the body of believers.
- Letter: is to an individual and very personal.
The main reason for this epistle is to address the issue of Gnosticism. You might be asking, "What is that?" It was not an open enemy of Christianity. It was a sly, come in the back door after the leaders leave, seduction that was affecting the church at large. Gnostics had “a more excellent way.” They understood the gospel better than the apostles themselves. It was a mistake to suppose that the historical facts and moral precepts of the Scriptures were to be taken literally. It was a still greater mistake to suppose that the Scriptures contained all that was necessary for man’s spiritual well-being. There was a higher knowledge, a more profound gnosis; and this the Gnostic could attain to and impart. Illumined by this, men would see that everything else was comparatively of unimportance (1).
How did this skew ones view of Christianity? It did three things, (1) Righteousness was made of no account in comparison with intellectual illumination. (2) Scripture was made of no account in comparison with a knowledge which partly transmuted and partly superseded it. (3) The work of Christ was made of no account; for there could be no need of an atonement if there was no real evil in sin (2). As you can tell this was a cancer that was infiltrating the Gospel of Jesus Christ. John was referring to those who were teaching this as “Liars,” “seducers,” “false prophets,” “deceivers,” and “antichrists!”
Gnostics may boast of their knowledge; but believers in the Incarnation have their knowledge too. They know that they have passed over out of death into life (1 John 3:14). They know that they are children of God, and as such are freed from sin by his Son (1 John 5:18, 19). They know that the Son of God has come in the flesh, and has given them a mind wherewith to know, not the remote abstraction which the Gnostic calls God, but the loving Father in whom they can abide through his Son Jesus Christ (1 John 5:20).
We will be reading I John 1:1-4 tomorrow and discussing it over the next few days. Please join me in this wonderful time. Blessings
Pastor Rod
(1) The Pulpit Commentary: 1 John. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (iv). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
(2) The Pulpit Commentary: 1 John. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (v). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Good morning,
Over the next few months we are going to be walking through the First Epistle of John. Today I would like to share with you some interesting things concerning the reason why the epistle was written and some discussion on the debate of calling it an "epistle" or a "letter?"
First John is authored by the Apostle John or as he refers to himself as "Jesus' beloved." He likes to remind us of this. There is not a great debate on who authored this epistle. The debate comes in the assessment of whether it is an epistle or a letter. You might be asking yourself what is the difference? A letter is considered a writing that is directed to a specific person and is not something that is required to be circulated among other churches. An epistle is a writing that is viewed as to be circulated and is addressing overall issues opposed to individual ones. Summing this up it looks like this:
- Epistle: is to a group of people and to be circulated among the body of believers.
- Letter: is to an individual and very personal.
The main reason for this epistle is to address the issue of Gnosticism. You might be asking, "What is that?" It was not an open enemy of Christianity. It was a sly, come in the back door after the leaders leave, seduction that was affecting the church at large. Gnostics had “a more excellent way.” They understood the gospel better than the apostles themselves. It was a mistake to suppose that the historical facts and moral precepts of the Scriptures were to be taken literally. It was a still greater mistake to suppose that the Scriptures contained all that was necessary for man’s spiritual well-being. There was a higher knowledge, a more profound gnosis; and this the Gnostic could attain to and impart. Illumined by this, men would see that everything else was comparatively of unimportance (1).
How did this skew ones view of Christianity? It did three things, (1) Righteousness was made of no account in comparison with intellectual illumination. (2) Scripture was made of no account in comparison with a knowledge which partly transmuted and partly superseded it. (3) The work of Christ was made of no account; for there could be no need of an atonement if there was no real evil in sin (2). As you can tell this was a cancer that was infiltrating the Gospel of Jesus Christ. John was referring to those who were teaching this as “Liars,” “seducers,” “false prophets,” “deceivers,” and “antichrists!”
Gnostics may boast of their knowledge; but believers in the Incarnation have their knowledge too. They know that they have passed over out of death into life (1 John 3:14). They know that they are children of God, and as such are freed from sin by his Son (1 John 5:18, 19). They know that the Son of God has come in the flesh, and has given them a mind wherewith to know, not the remote abstraction which the Gnostic calls God, but the loving Father in whom they can abide through his Son Jesus Christ (1 John 5:20).
We will be reading I John 1:1-4 tomorrow and discussing it over the next few days. Please join me in this wonderful time. Blessings
Pastor Rod
(1) The Pulpit Commentary: 1 John. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (iv). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
(2) The Pulpit Commentary: 1 John. 2004 (H. D. M. Spence-Jones, Ed.) (v). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Childlike Faith! (Mark 10:13-15)
Mark 10:13-15
13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
Do you remember as a child not having a care in the world? Every day was an adventure! You didn't worry about how much money you had, what you were going to eat for lunch, or just the everyday life situations that we deal with as adults. You didn't have a care in the world! Oh, how I miss those days. I remember waking up in the morning and going to the woods or the playground. When I was hungry I would go to a friends house or back to my house and eat. The only rule I really had when I was a child was I had to be home for dinner. If not, I didn't eat! My Mom's saying was "the kitchen was closed after dinner." A child's life back then was so different than it is today. Society has changed but I don't think the heart of a child has changed that much. I believe there is still a sense of TRUST, LOVE, and BELIEF in children as was in my day.
In this passage of scripture we read how Jesus scolded the people because of their attitudes toward children. Jesus takes this opportunity to not only show the people their "wrong" attitudes toward children but he reveals the "proper" attitude toward salvation. It is not something that is earned but a gift from God that is to be accepted as such. Entering the kingdom of God is the same as being saved. Jesus shows the people that just like the faith of a child (TRUSTING, LOVING, and BELIEVE without having to see) we "must" have the same.
My prayer this morning is "God, let me live in FAITH not FACTS! Help me to trust you more, love you unconditionally, and believe that you want to use me as a servant for You!" Amen!
Blesssings
Pastor Rod
13 And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, “Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”
Do you remember as a child not having a care in the world? Every day was an adventure! You didn't worry about how much money you had, what you were going to eat for lunch, or just the everyday life situations that we deal with as adults. You didn't have a care in the world! Oh, how I miss those days. I remember waking up in the morning and going to the woods or the playground. When I was hungry I would go to a friends house or back to my house and eat. The only rule I really had when I was a child was I had to be home for dinner. If not, I didn't eat! My Mom's saying was "the kitchen was closed after dinner." A child's life back then was so different than it is today. Society has changed but I don't think the heart of a child has changed that much. I believe there is still a sense of TRUST, LOVE, and BELIEF in children as was in my day.
In this passage of scripture we read how Jesus scolded the people because of their attitudes toward children. Jesus takes this opportunity to not only show the people their "wrong" attitudes toward children but he reveals the "proper" attitude toward salvation. It is not something that is earned but a gift from God that is to be accepted as such. Entering the kingdom of God is the same as being saved. Jesus shows the people that just like the faith of a child (TRUSTING, LOVING, and BELIEVE without having to see) we "must" have the same.
My prayer this morning is "God, let me live in FAITH not FACTS! Help me to trust you more, love you unconditionally, and believe that you want to use me as a servant for You!" Amen!
Blesssings
Pastor Rod
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
The Race! (Hebrews 12:1)
I was not a big fan of running when I was younger. As a matter of fact, I despised it! Running track in High School was not at the top of my list of sports to try out for. Running short or long distance was not appealing to me unless a football was involved. But as I have grown older I've come to appreciate and even enjoy, running. I was running about 3 miles a day, 5 days a week for about 6 months. All of this stopped when my back went out. My doctor told me that with my condition, I should not run anymore. It was too "high impact" for my back so I bought an elliptical machine and I exercise with it now.
When I was able I found that after 15-20 minutes into the run I was ready to quit but I would push my way through mentally and finish the run. It was as if I had to break through a barrier or remove a weight that was holding me back but once I released it or broke through it seemed like smooth sailing to the finish line.
In the book of Hebrews Paul uses the imagery of running a race when it comes to our walk with Jesus. Hebrews 12:1 reads, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us"! I have seen so many people accept Jesus as their personal savior and take off running. Most of the time, though, they are running by themselves! This is not the way Christ set things up nor is this what Paul suggested in this passage. Paul states, "since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses," implying that we are not alone but being encouraged/mentored by those who have been down this road before us. What happens to those who take off alone is they start to struggle. They become weighed down with "issues" or "sins" that seem to hard to let go of or release. They quit!
I found that when I was running I wanted to have the lightest close and shoes on! This was so I could be more at ease and accomplish what distance or time I set for myself. If we take this analogy that Paul gives us in this passage we can see three important things when it comes to running this "RACE" of life with Jesus!
1. We need Mentor's! (a cloud of witnesses)
This is not a new concept that has been discovered and now is making its way through the church as the latest fad. What we are seeing is a reintroduction into the church and being taught as one of the basis for a spiritually healthy church. My encouragement today is for us to be mentoring someone as well as being mentored by someone. In this race of life with Jesus we should not be running alone. Christ wants to use his people to reveal himself to others. We can be Jesus to someone and someone can be Jesus to us through being a mentor.
2. Get rid of Hindrances/Sin! (Lay aside every weight, and sin)
As a runner you want to be as light and arrow-dynamic as possible so you can run without being hindered. The same is true with our race in life with Jesus! We should want to be as "hindrance free" as possible so we can, not just run the race but finish it. Paul talks about these hindrances in Col. 3:8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Jesus says something along the same lines, Luke 21:34 But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life. We want to be able to run this race with the best possibility of finishing and finishing well.
3. We must Persevere! (let us run with endurance)
In this race of life with Jesus we find that not everything goes as planned and road blocks are in the way. Paul uses the Greek word (hypomony) that is defined as "patient endurance!" We must persevere through those moments when it gets difficult. Those moments when we feel like quitting let us remember it's a race that does not require us to finish first, JUST FINISH!
My prayer, today, is that if you have not entered this race of life with Jesus, start today! If you have stopped in the middle of the race and quit, start back up! If you are in the race of life with Jesus and it is getting hard, don't quit! If you are in the race of life with Jesus, enjoy it! What a race it is!
Blessings
Pastor Rod
When I was able I found that after 15-20 minutes into the run I was ready to quit but I would push my way through mentally and finish the run. It was as if I had to break through a barrier or remove a weight that was holding me back but once I released it or broke through it seemed like smooth sailing to the finish line.
In the book of Hebrews Paul uses the imagery of running a race when it comes to our walk with Jesus. Hebrews 12:1 reads, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us"! I have seen so many people accept Jesus as their personal savior and take off running. Most of the time, though, they are running by themselves! This is not the way Christ set things up nor is this what Paul suggested in this passage. Paul states, "since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses," implying that we are not alone but being encouraged/mentored by those who have been down this road before us. What happens to those who take off alone is they start to struggle. They become weighed down with "issues" or "sins" that seem to hard to let go of or release. They quit!
I found that when I was running I wanted to have the lightest close and shoes on! This was so I could be more at ease and accomplish what distance or time I set for myself. If we take this analogy that Paul gives us in this passage we can see three important things when it comes to running this "RACE" of life with Jesus!
1. We need Mentor's! (a cloud of witnesses)
This is not a new concept that has been discovered and now is making its way through the church as the latest fad. What we are seeing is a reintroduction into the church and being taught as one of the basis for a spiritually healthy church. My encouragement today is for us to be mentoring someone as well as being mentored by someone. In this race of life with Jesus we should not be running alone. Christ wants to use his people to reveal himself to others. We can be Jesus to someone and someone can be Jesus to us through being a mentor.
2. Get rid of Hindrances/Sin! (Lay aside every weight, and sin)
As a runner you want to be as light and arrow-dynamic as possible so you can run without being hindered. The same is true with our race in life with Jesus! We should want to be as "hindrance free" as possible so we can, not just run the race but finish it. Paul talks about these hindrances in Col. 3:8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Jesus says something along the same lines, Luke 21:34 But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life. We want to be able to run this race with the best possibility of finishing and finishing well.
3. We must Persevere! (let us run with endurance)
In this race of life with Jesus we find that not everything goes as planned and road blocks are in the way. Paul uses the Greek word (hypomony) that is defined as "patient endurance!" We must persevere through those moments when it gets difficult. Those moments when we feel like quitting let us remember it's a race that does not require us to finish first, JUST FINISH!
My prayer, today, is that if you have not entered this race of life with Jesus, start today! If you have stopped in the middle of the race and quit, start back up! If you are in the race of life with Jesus and it is getting hard, don't quit! If you are in the race of life with Jesus, enjoy it! What a race it is!
Blessings
Pastor Rod
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
We are the Aroma of Christ - (2 Cor 2:14-16)
(But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.)
While driving around Mount Vernon last week, one of the common things that took place was coming across the fowl odor of a skunk. We all have been a part of this wonderful event that seems to come out of know were. Some of us have been so blessed to have experienced this odor to the extent of tasting it, causing your eyes to water, and for some, to even gag because it was so strong. I have yet to meet an individual who says, "I love the smell of skunk!"
Many of us have experience the other end of this aroma spectrum. We have walked into a wonderful smell of flowers or some type of cologne, aftershave, or perfume that is permeating from an individual. What a pleasant and somewhat tantalizing smell. A smell that may even cause us to ask what kind of perfume it is and were can we get it. We are so pleased with the smell we say, "I want what they have."
In this passage of scripture we read how Paul talks about "the fragrance of the knowledge of him (Jesus) everywhere" and "we are the aroma of Christ to God"! Paul uses a lot of imagery in his writings and these few verse demonstrate that. In these verses he gives the vision of a General in the Roman army parading down main street in victory with his captors. In these types of parades burning incense is a major part of the celebration.
If we look at what Paul is saying, Christ is leading us in this procession and through us He is spreading the fragrance of the Knowledge of Jesus. That fragrance is the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is being spread throughout the world through us! Now to some this may be a sweet fragrance but to others it may be a sour odor. For those who's hearts are tendered and open to the Gospel it is a pleasant fragrance but to those who have rejected the Gospel it is a fowl fragrance. In verse 15 Paul uses another word that is defined as "a sweet aroma!" This is how we (believers) are to God "A sweet aroma!"
In conclusion, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, we need to understand that we are representatives of Jesus to a lost world. A world that is filled with grief, heartache, and sin that produces a stench that can cause us to taste it, your eyes to water, and for some, to even gag because it is so strong. The one thing this world needs is a sweet aroma that can take all the stench away. That fragrance is Jesus and we are the sweet aroma that is the carrier of it to a lost world. We want people to look at us and say, "I want what they have!" Let us be the sweet aroma of Jesus to our world today. Amen?
Blessing my friends!
Pastor Rod
While driving around Mount Vernon last week, one of the common things that took place was coming across the fowl odor of a skunk. We all have been a part of this wonderful event that seems to come out of know were. Some of us have been so blessed to have experienced this odor to the extent of tasting it, causing your eyes to water, and for some, to even gag because it was so strong. I have yet to meet an individual who says, "I love the smell of skunk!"
Many of us have experience the other end of this aroma spectrum. We have walked into a wonderful smell of flowers or some type of cologne, aftershave, or perfume that is permeating from an individual. What a pleasant and somewhat tantalizing smell. A smell that may even cause us to ask what kind of perfume it is and were can we get it. We are so pleased with the smell we say, "I want what they have."
In this passage of scripture we read how Paul talks about "the fragrance of the knowledge of him (Jesus) everywhere" and "we are the aroma of Christ to God"! Paul uses a lot of imagery in his writings and these few verse demonstrate that. In these verses he gives the vision of a General in the Roman army parading down main street in victory with his captors. In these types of parades burning incense is a major part of the celebration.
If we look at what Paul is saying, Christ is leading us in this procession and through us He is spreading the fragrance of the Knowledge of Jesus. That fragrance is the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is being spread throughout the world through us! Now to some this may be a sweet fragrance but to others it may be a sour odor. For those who's hearts are tendered and open to the Gospel it is a pleasant fragrance but to those who have rejected the Gospel it is a fowl fragrance. In verse 15 Paul uses another word that is defined as "a sweet aroma!" This is how we (believers) are to God "A sweet aroma!"
In conclusion, as a disciple of Jesus Christ, we need to understand that we are representatives of Jesus to a lost world. A world that is filled with grief, heartache, and sin that produces a stench that can cause us to taste it, your eyes to water, and for some, to even gag because it is so strong. The one thing this world needs is a sweet aroma that can take all the stench away. That fragrance is Jesus and we are the sweet aroma that is the carrier of it to a lost world. We want people to look at us and say, "I want what they have!" Let us be the sweet aroma of Jesus to our world today. Amen?
Blessing my friends!
Pastor Rod
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)