Seeing the Christ

Have you seen Jesus? Have you seen Him as the Messiah–the Christ? Have you seen Him as the Son of God? Have you seen Him as your Lord? Have you seen Him as your Savior? Would you like to?

Many of us have heard about Jesus for much of our lives. We know many of the stories. We have heard about His miracles. We have heard that He raised the dead. We have heard His parables. We know He was crucified and raised from the dead on the third day.

But have we truly seen Him for who He is? Perhaps the better question is–do we believe He is who He says He is? We can witness something truly amazing and still fail to believe it. We can take for granted the blessings we receive from a loving God. We can be overtaken by the culture around us and explain away the miracles of God.

Doctors can explain a lot about how our bodies function. They can explain how an egg is fertilized and it grows into an embryo, which becomes a newborn baby. Scientists can break down our genetic structure. They can develop cures for some diseases. Surgeons can repair or replace various body parts. But can any one of them heal with the touch of their hand?

Jesus is our ultimate healer. He can heal our emotional struggles. He can fill our emptiness. He can grant us eternal life with Him. We simply need to see Him for who He is, much like the woman at the well. We need to believe Him, just as she did.

I pray we all see Jesus for who He is. I pray we believe His claim. I pray each one of us truly accepts Him as our Lord and our Savior, accepting eternal life with Him. See Jesus for who He is. Believe Jesus is who He says He is. Accept Him fully. Accept Him as both Lord and Savior.

John 4:25-26 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is come” (who is called Christ). “When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the one who is speaking to you.”

An Important Message

What does it take for you to believe something? Do you need to hear it from a good, or perhaps a great, teacher? Do you need to see it to believe it? What if you were told by someone you did not know? What if it were a person you deem to be less than respectable?

In our hardened, callous, and skeptical world, we find it hard to believe anyone we do not know. It is also hard for us to believe people who do not have good reputations. We either discard the news or we attempt to verify it via a respectable source.

We might find that we miss a very important fact by disbelieving. That is not to say we should believe everything we hear. But we might discover we should believe something we hear from a less than respectable person when the testimony is about something that just couldn’t be made up.

Let’s take a look at what happened in the town of Sychar in Samaria. The less than respectable woman who came running and shouting at the people in town about the Messiah had a message that could not be made up. She was shouting that the person whose arrival they had been waiting for generations had arrived, and He was at their well! You can’t make that up. You don’t joke about it. You don’t tease people about it. And she didn’t.

Many of the people believed her message, as incredulous as it was. The few that didn’t, did after they heard Him speak. Believing an incredulous message such as this is the most important thing we can do in our lives. It determines where we will spend eternity.

We may think we are not respectable enough to tell people about Jesus. Or we may think the person telling us about Him is not respectable and don’t want to believe them. Regardless, we should be telling people about Him and be willing to believe others who tell us about Him. It can make all the difference in our lives.

I pray we all believe the incredulous story of Jesus. I pray we believe He is the Son of God. I pray each one of us tell someone else about Jesus and convince them they should believe us. Believe Jesus’ story. Tell others about Him. Weigh the importance of the message. Trust in Jesus.

John 4:39 Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I have ever done.”

God’s Choices

How do you choose the things you invest your time in? How do you choose who you will have a relationship with? Is your choice based on what is in it for you? Is it based on what or who you are attracted to? Have you taken time to ponder how God makes his choices?

We make choices every day. We choose what we will eat. We choose what store to shop in. We choose who we will befriend. We choose to exercise or not. We choose what television shows we will watch. We choose to educate ourselves or not. Choices, choices, choices.

God makes choices as well. His choices further his plan. Too often, we don’t take time to think about God’s choices. We mosey through life merely concerned with our own choices. So, let’s take a look at one explanation of how God makes choices.

The Apostle Paul tells the Corinthians, and us, that God chooses the foolish things to shame the wise. What could he mean? Though the majority of our pastors have seminary degrees, we also have examples of some of the most powerful evangelists having no formal higher-level education. After all, Peter, James, and John were fishermen. They likely had ended their formal education by the time they were thirteen years old. God works through people we least expect.

Paul also tells us God chooses the weak things to shame the strong. Again, what might he mean by this statement? We have seen people who were completely broken have their lives turned around when they accept Jesus as their Savior. We have seen examples of them becoming active and powerful workers in Christ’s kingdom. Think of the woman at the well. She was shunned, shamed, and considered and outcast. Yet, after she met Jesus, she brought an entire town out to meet Him.

Despite what we may think, God can use each one of us. He can use us to spread the message of Jesus Christ. He can use us to bring others into the kingdom. God works through people, just like us, to further his plan, to bring others into his kingdom, to demonstrate who he is. We simply need to be willing come alongside him and allow him to work through us.

I pray we all choose to allow God to work through us. I pray we choose to walk alongside God. I pray each one of us will ask God to use us as he sees fit to further his plan in this world. See how God works. Allow him to use you. Choose to work for God. Ask God to work through you.

1 Corinthians 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

Life Changing

How is your life? Is it a mess? Are you waiting for the other shoe to drop? Have you learned anything from your past? Have you learned from your family’s past? Have you decided to change your approach to life? Do you know where to turn?

Our lives often get messy. Things go awry. Things get out of control. We face interruptions. Plans get changed at the last moment. The disruptions create frustration. Our outlook on life gets out of whack. We may wonder how we will get through the day.

Have you entertained the idea that God is humbling you so you will turn to him? God does things like that sometimes. He decides we need an awaking. All the while, we flop around like a fish out of water. We struggle through the situation we are facing, trying to figure it out on our own. We don’t stop, take a moment, and discern if it is God at work in our lives or just the randomness that happens in this broken world we live in.

Despite what we may think, God is at work in our lives. Just like the Israelites who he rescued from their slavery in Egypt, God cares for us. But just like them, when we forget about him and start complaining about the blessings we have, he can put us in the desert so we will turn back to him. He cares too much about us to leave us in a state of discontent.

Notice in today’s passage that God turned the Israelites back to him through their stomachs. He reminded them that they needed to turn to him and obey his commands. We need to do the same. If we do not, God may just use a situation to remind us. After all, he is the Almighty God of heaven and earth.

I pray we all remember we need to lean on God. I pray we decided to obey his commands. I pray each one of us learn from the past—how God worked in the lives of the Israelites and how he has worked in ours. Lean on God. Live by his Word. Obey his commands. Look for him working in your life.

Deuteronomy 8:3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

God Provides

Do you worry about having enough food to eat? Are you picky about the food you eat? Have you gone without meals due to not having enough food? Or have you gone without food because you didn’t like what was available? Do you rely on God to provide your food?

Most of us have no need to worry about eating. Many of us have pantries with enough food to last at least a couple weeks. Oh, there may not be our favorite snack in the pantry, but there is something there to eat. We have gotten spoiled by the availability of food.

Our western culture has gotten so rich that if we don’t find something we want to eat in our house, we drive a short distance to a restaurant. We make our lists for our grocery runs to ensure we keep our shelves packed with what we might want to eat. We throw food away that has expired because we thought we might want it at some time, then never ate it.

In the first century, this was not the case. Though they may have had a few staples in their homes, they didn’t have large pantries. They often had to rely on getting food every day or two to feed their families. Travelers relied on the ability to purchase food along their routes, much like we do today. However, the difference was they traveled on foot, which meant sometimes staying out in the open country for a night or two between towns. They would only carry what food they knew they would eat between towns.

Yet, Jesus tells the people not to worry about what they would eat. He also changed what they could eat by stating anything God provides is approved for eating. The previous restrictions no longer applied. Why would Jesus go to this trouble? Perhaps He wanted the people to focus more on God than their bellies. Perhaps He wanted to set priorities straight for us. When we trust God to provide for our needs, we no longer need worry about them. We can focus on his will for us and go about doing his work.

I pray we all focus on God as our top priority. I pray we trust God to provide for our needs. I pray each one of us accept what God provides, trusting he will take care of us. Trust God to provide. Spend less time focused on needs. Focus on God. Know that God will care for you.

Matthew 6:25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?”

False Justification

Do you justify yourself? Do you justify your actions? How do you justify your actions? Do you justify them according to worldly thinking? Does that worldly thinking include justifying yourself with the almighty dollar? How far will that get you in eternity?

We justify our actions in a variety of ways. We make excuses for doing one thing and for not doing another. We make excuses for missing our kids’ school events. We make excuses for having an affair. Perhaps worst of all, we make excuses for not going to church.

Our excuses for not going to church include I don’t feel like it today, someone there once offended me, I believe in God but don’t need anyone else, I think the church is corrupt, I had to work, etc. We can make up all kinds of excuses and justify our actions in our own minds. But how do we think God views those excuses?

I suggest God views our excuses just as Jesus viewed the self-justification of the Pharisees. All the money in the world will not buy us eternal life. Notice Jesus says what people value is detestable in God’s sight. Remember, Jesus told Satan when He was being tempted that we are to “Worship the Lord Your God, and serve him only.” (Matthew 4:9) In other words, we are to make God our number one priority.

I can state with full confidence from my own personal experience that God will get us through your toughest times if we put him first. It was the Sunday morning, Sunday small group, and Wednesday evening Bible study that got me through a very rough time in my life. It was spending time with God’s people that gave me strength. Were there people there that I didn’t get along with perfectly? Sure. That didn’t stop me from leaning on God and being where I knew he was most active. When we put God first, make him our priority, he justifies us and strengthens us.

I pray we all make God our priority. I pray we give up trying to justify ourselves before a holy God. I pray each one of us determine to lean on God and spend time with his people. Stop trying to justify yourself. Make God your priority. Meet with the people of God. Trust Jesus at His word.

Luke 16:14-15 The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.”

Parched

Have you ever been so thirsty you thought you would die? Have you had a lack of water for so long your lips cracked? Once you had water, did you gulp it down? Have you heard of people wondering through the desert without water? What would you say to them?

Some of us may have been very thirsty at some point in our lives. It could have been due to performing a task that we just wanted to finish and didn’t stop until it was done. It could be we were traveling a great distance and forgot to pack a cooler of drinks. It may have been at the end of a long race or sporting event.

Imagine this: a large group of people set out on a trek across the dessert on foot. They must carry everything with them or haul it on wooden carts pulled by oxen. How do they carry enough water? That was the case for the Israelites as they left Egypt. We are told in Exodus 12:37 there were 600,000 men besides children. The word interpreted as men actually means men who were able to fight. So, there would have been men who could not fight, women who were not included in this number, and all the children would have been excluded from that number. Some simple and conservative math would estimate there were more than 2 million people in total, not to mention all the livestock they brought with them.

Moses had a real problem on his hands. They needed water and were upset there was none to be had. I can only imagine they were about to lynch Moses. What does he do? He goes to God. He knew God was the only one who could provide the water they needed. He trusted God, even in a desert where there were no running brooks or springs. God delivers in a miraculous way.

When we are in need, we should go to God as well. He provides for our needs, sometimes in miraculous ways. I have seen God provide for a need in a totally unexpected way. We simply need to trust him to do so. We need to ask for the help. God will take care of the rest.

I pray we all turn to God in our time of need. I pray we ask God to provide for our need. I pray each one of us will trust God to provide, without doubting, and watch him work in our lives. Seek God in your time of need. Ask God to provide. Trust that God will provide. Watch God work in your life.

Exodus 17:2 The people quarreled with Moses, and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses said to them, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?”

Saved By The Son

Have you allowed Jesus to save you? Or are you stuck on being condemned by the world and yourself? Do you think Jesus came to condemn you? Or do you think He came to save you? Are you willing to allow Him to save you? Are you willing to believe it is possible?

We will typically say that Jesus came to save us. But many times we act as though He came to condemn us. We fail to believe we are savable. In other words, we condemn ourselves. We believe far too much the world inundates us with, rather than believing Jesus.

It is absolutely true that Jesus gave us a few commands. It is also true that He has some expectations of us. But His expectations are not to satisfy Him as much as they are to change us into the person we were created to be. He wants only the best for us.

Jesus boils all the commandments and the prophets into two commands—love God and love your neighbor. If anything, Jesus simplified what it means to live for Him. If we do anything out of love for God or for someone else, we have obeyed Him.

By living out Jesus’ expectations our lives are better. We have more joy. We are more satisfied. We have more energy. We smile more. We enjoy being with others more. Overall, we feel better. How does this come about? When we believe that God sent Jesus to save us. When we take Jesus at His word. Believing Jesus is the first step. Taking His word to heart. Planting His word deep in our heart and allowing it to grow.

I pray we all believe Jesus came to save us. I pray we plant His words deep in our heart. I pray each one of us seek to meet Jesus’ expectations and improve our lives. Accept Jesus’ saving grace. Believe in Him. Allow Jesus to save you. Do not condemn yourself. Do not allow the world to condemn you. Live for Jesus.

John 3:17 “Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

Tell Someone About Jesus

Do you have an answer when asked about being saved? Do you know what to tell someone who asks? Will you be able to tell them what they need to do? Would you like to know what to say? Have you considered following the example the Apostle Paul gave us?

We may be put in a situation where someone may ask us how they can be saved. They may not ask it just that way, but they ask it in one form or another. Knowing how to answer them may seem to be tricky. However, it is not really that difficult.

The simple answer is just what the Apostle Paul told the jailer who had imprisoned him and Silas, “Believe in Jesus and you will be saved.” Some of you may ask about baptism. Sure, that should be done as well. After all, baptism is our outward profession of faith.

But take note of what Paul did following his basic statement. He told them about Jesus. Could he tell them everything about Jesus? No, probably not. But he would have told them what they needed to know to believe in Him. We can do the same. We all know at least some of the stories about Jesus, even if we cannot quote them verbatim. We can tell of Him performing miracles of healing, raising the dead, or forgiving the woman caught in adultery. We can tell them of Him meeting with the woman at the well, sending the disciples out to speak about Him, or maybe even remember a few of the parables.

Each one of us can tell someone what they need to do to be saved. We can help them come into the kingdom of God. We can bring them to Jesus, just as the Apostle Paul did. We don’t need to be an apostle nor have fancy degrees. All we need to do is tell them about Jesus.

I pray we all know that we can tell someone how to be saved. I pray we lead people to Jesus Christ. I pray each one of us will take time to tell someone who is seeking about Jesus. Trust that you have the knowledge. Tell someone about Jesus. Tell them how to be saved. Lead them into the kingdom of God.

Acts 16:31-32 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house.

Be Saved

Have you been in need of saving? Were you in a bad situation and needed rescue? Was there a time in which you needed someone desperately to reach out a helping hand? Are you in that situation now? Do you know you need to be saved? Do you know who can save you?

We all go through good times and bad times. Some of us may have gone through some very bad times in our lives. Others of us may have bad times ahead of us. In those times we need family and friends to help us through. We may lean very heavily on them to get through it.

We have come to expect bad times, but we also need being saved during good times. In fact, it may be during very good times that we most need saving. Why? We do not realize we need saving. We think we have the world by the tail. We are running through life riding our high horse. Nothing can stop us. Until…it all comes crashing down.

The bottom line is this: we all need saving. Jesus came into the world to save the world. He came to free us from our sin, our culture, oppression, and ourselves. Left to our own devices, we will walk down the path to destruction. It is only by walking with Jesus that we walk the path of salvation. He is the cornerstone, the One on which the entire kingdom of God is built.

When we turn our lives over to Him, we are saved. We may think we are fine, but we are not, if our lives are not built on Jesus. We may make lots of money. We have great jobs. We may have a wonderful spouse. We may raise good kids. But we still need to be saved.

I pray we all choose to be saved by Jesus. I pray we decide to build our lives on the Cornerstone. I pray each one of us will give our lives to Jesus and walk the path of salvation with Him. Know that you need to be saved. Choose to allow Jesus to save you. Build your life on Him. Walk the path of salvation.

Acts 4:11-12 Jesus is “ ‘the stone you builders rejected, which has become the cornerstone.’ Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”