Lay Down Your Life

Are you willing to give up your life for someone else’s? Have you ever been in a position to do so? Has someone else given up their life for you? What are your thoughts about one life being sacrificed for another? What if it was one life being sacrificed for many others?

Many people in this world are afraid of death. In fact, many do not even want to talk about death. The thought of dying terrifies them. It is sad that people are so afraid of death. It means they have no hope—no real hope. They only have a false hope for this life.

Yet, those of us who are Christians should have no fear of death. Rather, we should look forward to the reward it holds without seeking it. We should find solace in knowing how the story ends. True, there may be some bumps in the road. We may experience hardships along the way. But that doesn’t lessen the reward at the end.

We know that Jesus laid down His life for us. We are told in John 3:16 that God sent his Son so that we may have eternal life. In today’s passage, 1 John 3:16, John tells us that we should lay down our life just as Jesus laid down His. Not that we will save the entire world, but we may save someone else.

How can we save someone else by laying down our life? We give up our preference to bring someone else to eternal life. We allow someone else space to learn how to follow Christ, rather than trying to force our personal beliefs on them. We come to understand there are multiple ways to follow Christ. After all, God created each of us individually.

I pray we all remember that Christ gave His life for us. I pray we lay down our lives for others. I pray each one of us are willing to give up our preference to bring someone to Christ. Know Jesus laid down His life for you. Give up your preferences. Give others space. Lay down your life for others.

1 John 3:16 We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another.

Bad Decisions

Have you made a very bad decision with long-lasting effects? Have you ever been chastised for making a bad decision? Did you realize it was a bad decision at the time? Did you make the decision based on a selfish desire, based on what you wanted? Would you change your decision today?

We all make bad decisions at some point in our lives. Some are worse than others. But it is the bad decision we made out of selfishness that we knew was bad at the time that often comes back to haunt us the most. When it becomes public knowledge, it just gets worse.

The Jewish leadership and Jerusalem populace had made a very bad decision to condemn Jesus to the cross. They had not merely enticed Pilate in the decision but had forced him into it. Otherwise, he would have had an uprising on his hands. Let’s not misunderstand. Pilate was not against using violence to keep the people in line. However, it was one thing to be forceful with a handful of people and another to have to deal with hundreds of them at once.

The apostles did not blame Pilate; they blamed their fellow Jews. Despite their decision, God used it to carry out his plan. Peter tells them that their decision fulfilled prophecy. But it still had to sting. To know you condemned a person you knew was innocent to death, that God had said it would happen through the prophets, and to know God was going to condemn you for it had to be very disturbing.

The Jews of that time had another choice to make. They could continue in obstinacy, refusing to repent, or they could repent and beg forgiveness. We, too, have that same choice when we make a bad decision. We can confess our mistake. We can ask for forgiveness. And we can turn from our wayward ways. When we do, we can be confident that God forgives us.

I pray we all own up to bad decisions we make. I pray we ask for forgiveness. I pray each one of us know that God is willing to forgive when we come to him with a repentant heart. Own your bad decisions. Confess them. Ask for forgiveness. Know that God will forgive you.

Acts 4:11-12 This Jesus is 

‘the stone that was rejected by you, the builders; 

it has become the cornerstone.’

There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.”

Ordinary People

Are you amazed by miracles? Do you like to read about miracles happening? Would you like to be able to perform miracles? What if you could? What miracle would you perform? Would you perform a miracle for the good of someone else? Would you perform a miracle for yourself?

Miracles happen in the world today. We sometimes hear the stories of miracles through news stories. Many times, there are books written about them. Sometimes, there are movies made about them. Miracles grab our attention. Miracles amaze us.

Peter had healed a crippled beggar. Not only that, but he and John were preaching the gospel. They were proclaiming Jesus on the temple grounds. The priests and other Jewish leadership were not happy about it. They decided to throw Peter and John in prison for preaching the gospel. The next day, they brought them before the high priest and other leaders.

Peter is filled with the Holy Spirit and speaks truth. He calls them out. He tells them that they were the ones who had crucified Jesus. But he includes that God raised Him from the dead. They don’t want to hear it. They are beside themselves. They are wondering how they can get the apostles to stop spreading the gospel. With them healing people miraculously, they were gaining popularity.

God uses ordinary people to carry out his plan. He used two fishermen to heal people and spread the gospel. He used them to begin building his church. God can use each one of us as well. We may be ordinary. We may think we have no special skill. Yet, God doesn’t call the person who has it all together. He calls the person who knows they don’t and relies solely on him. That person will do great things for God as God equips them.

I pray we all see God using ordinary people to carry out his plan. I pray we know that God continues to perform miracles. I pray each one of us will humble ourselves and choose to be used by God. Know God uses ordinary people. Submit to his will. Rely on God. Allow God to use you.

Acts 4:8-10 Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, if we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel, that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead.”

Open Minds

Have you opened your mind to God’s Word? Do you grasp the significance of the crucifixion and resurrection? Are you willing to listen to the witnesses of the crucifixion and resurrection? Are you helping spread the gospel, the good news of Jesus Christ?

Many in our world today have a closed mind when it comes to God’s Word. Even some who attend weekly worship services. They hear the message but do not really believe it. They attend as a habit or as a social gathering. As unfortunate as it is, it is the truth.

Opening our minds to God’s revealed truth is not just a saying. In fact, it is challenging for us to do so. It is especially difficult if we think we already know it all. Our approach to God’s Word should always be as a learner—someone who seeks to go deeper into it.

I truly enjoy teaching the Bible. Why? Because, as I go about preparing the lessons, I seek to learn something new, something I did not already know. I grow in my knowledge and my amazement at how God works grows as well. The more I learn, the more I realize how much I do not know. If we all approach reading God’s Word with an open mind, the Holy Spirit reveals to us new meaning—a deeper meaning. We, then, can be like the apostles on that first Easter.

I pray we all are determined to approach Scripture with an open mind. I pray we seek a deeper understanding of God’s Word. I pray each one of us will allow the Holy Spirit to reveal the meaning of God’s Word to us. Open your mind to the Holy Spirit. Seek a deeper understanding of God’s Word. Ask God to reveal the meaning of his Word to you.

Luke 24:45-48 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

Terrified or Amazed

Have you ever been scared out of your wits? Have you been terrified? What caused you to be scared to death? What caused your heart to race and you to hold your breath? Was it something unexpected? Have you ever thought you had seen a ghost?

The apostles were sitting in a locked room. They were afraid they were next. They thought the Jewish leadership and Roman soldiers would soon come calling and haul them off to be crucified just like Jesus. However, the Jewish leadership and Romans had no interest in them.

But there was One who did. Jesus wanted to see them and show them He had risen from the grave just as He had told them He would. Jesus knew where they were and their fears. He had already seen a handful of people, but He wanted to see the apostles. So, during the late afternoon or early evening, He suddenly shows up in the room with them.

Put yourself in their shoes (or sandals). They are frightened. They are feeding on one another’s fear. They have barred the door. Then suddenly Jesus appears. He didn’t come through the door. He didn’t even knock on the door. They were discussing their options and perhaps arguing when suddenly Jesus is there.

They had seen Him die on the cross. They knew where He was buried. They may have even witnessed His burial from a distance. Now He is in their midst. How does that happen?! Where did He come from?! Their minds instantly jump to the conclusion He is a ghost. It is a mass hallucination. But they were wrong. It was Jesus who has risen from the grave. What an amazing surprise for them!

I pray we all know that Jesus rose from the grave. I pray we truly believe it. I pray each one of us realize the amazing power of God as exemplified in the raising of Jesus from the grave on the third day. Jesus rose from the grave. God’s power resurrected Him. Be amazed. 

Luke 24:36-67 While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost.

Author of Life

Who do you give credit to for your life? How did you come to be here and now? Who has overseen every moment you have lived? Have you acknowledged the One who knows every detail about you? Do you know the Author of life, the Word of God, the Creator of all things?

Most of us give our mother and father credit for bringing us into this world. We may also credit them for raising us and teaching us as children. Along the way, we have had many who have shared wisdom with us, teaching us new things, expanding our knowledge and understanding.

Though giving credit to our parents and many others is reasonable, they are not the only ones who have shaped our lives. In fact, it is God, specifically Jesus, who has given us life. He has given us life in two different ways. First, we are told He is the Word who became flesh in John 1. Therefore, through the Word all things were created, including we human beings. Second, through Him we are given eternal life.

Peter chastises the people who were astonished at his healing a lame man for being part of the crowd that rejected Jesus and sent Him to the cross. He states they killed the Author of life. This proclamation comes after he and the other apostles had been anointed with the Holy Spirit and their minds were opened to the Scriptures. They now knew how the Scriptures had pointed to the coming of the Messiah and understood that Jesus was the fulfillment of them.

Peter continues by stating they were witnesses to it all. Everything they had seen and experienced during Jesus’ ministry leading to the cross and resurrection made sense. The puzzle pieces fell into the place revealing the complete picture. We, too, can study Scripture and experience the picture being revealed to us. We can start by believing the witnesses to Jesus’ life and ministry on this earth and continue by crediting Him with our life.

I pray we all study the Scriptures. I pray we ask God to reveal his Word to us through his Holy Spirit. I pray each one of us believe the witnesses and credit Jesus as the Author of life. Study God’s Word. Ask God to reveal his Word. Believe the witnesses. Know the Jesus is the Author of life.

Acts 3:14-15 But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.

Give God the Credit

How well do you give credit to others? Do you give credit to someone who assisted you? Or do you take all the credit for yourself? Do you prefer to be in the spotlight by yourself? Or are you willing to share it or even give it away to whomever deserves it?

Some of us like to be the center of attention. We like to be in the spotlight. We like to receive credit for something we’ve done…and sometimes take credit that isn’t due us. Others of us prefer to stay out of the spotlight, stay in the shadow.

But how do we go about giving credit when the credit should go to God? We have been given talents, skills, and the ability to think. We can use our skills to do any number of things. When we create something or do something that is special, but uses the gifts God has given us, shouldn’t we give credit to God? Even if we know we should, we don’t always do it.

Peter and John were walking by the temple when some folks brought a man who had been lame from birth. He had never walked. He would lay by the gate and beg. Peter told him that he had no money he could give to him. But what he did have was the authority of Jesus and the ability to heal the man, allowing him to walk and earn a living.

Others were amazed that Peter healed the man. But Peter was not taking credit for it. Instead, he gave the credit to God. Not only that, he told them it was by the authority of Jesus, whom they killed, that he was able to heal the man. He let them know that it was not by any special power of his own. He pointed them to Jesus, using the situation to preach the gospel.

We can use our own talents and skills, that are given to us by God, to point people to Jesus. We can give Him the glory rather than taking it for ourselves. It won’t be easy at first, but once we do it a few times, it will become natural. So, give God the credit he is due.

I pray we all realize our talents and skills are gifts from God. I pray use our gifts to do good for others. I pray each one of us give God the credit for our abilities and point others to Jesus. Know that God has given you talents and skills. Use your abilities for good. Give the credit to God.

Acts 3:12 When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, “You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk?”

Sin Taken Away

Why did Jesus come into the world He created? We all know the answer, don’t we? But have we forgotten? Do we presume He came for some other reason? Do we think He came to make our lives free and easy? Do we think He came to give us everything we want?

We know Jesus came to take away the sins of the world. He came to take away our sins…and we often count on that far more than we should. We continue in our sin and say, “It’s alright. Jesus came to take it all away.” The statement is true, but it is inappropriately applied.

But Jesus didn’t just come to take away our own sin. He came to take away the sin of the world. Have you spent any time thinking about that? Imagine, all the sin in the world, both past and present. Think about how many billions of people have lived and how many more will live. Think about how many sins have been committed. We may not have a number large enough to count them all. And yet, Jesus came to take them all away.

Jesus came to take away the smallest and the most egregious sins. Of course, we are the ones who categorize them. To Jesus, they are all egregious. Even if there had only been one sin committed, He would have gone to the cross. Think about that. For any one of your sins, Jesus died for you because you deserved death.

How could Jesus pay the price we could not pay? He was sinless. Think about how difficult that would be. No sinful action. No sinful language. No sinful thoughts. Nothing! Yet His life was adventurous, eventful, interesting, joyous, loving, instructive, and timeless. Sounds like the kind of life many of us want to live. Perhaps we should all attempt to be more like Jesus.

I pray we all know that Jesus came to take away the sins of the world. I pray we know He took away our sin. I pray each one of us will strive to be like Jesus and live a life like His. Jesus takes away sin. Your sin. The sin of the world. Seek to be like Jesus. Live a life like His.

1 John 3:5 You know that he was revealed to take away sins, and in him there is no sin.

Be Like Christ

Have you ever wondered what it will be like when Christ returns? Have you wondered how you will look? Do you think you will look the way you do today? Will you look like the best version of yourself? Have you thought of yourself as being pure? Any thoughts at all?

Wondering what we will be like is something we can ponder, but we cannot come to any conclusions. Anyone who claims to know is fooling themselves. So, don’t let them fool you. The only thing we can say with certainty is we will be like Christ, which will be perfect.

Not only will we be perfect, as Christ is perfect, but we are pure. No, our thoughts are not always pure. No, we don’t always act as though we are pure. Yet, we are pure because of our hope in Jesus Christ. Why? Because He is pure. The Father sees us through the Son, thereby we are seen as pure.

Not only are we seen as being pure, but we can pursue purity as well. As we put our hope in Jesus and seek to be more like Him, we stop acting impure and we stop having impure thoughts. It doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process of allowing the Holy Spirit to be our guide more and more.

We can rely on one thing right now—we are children of God. And because we are children of God, he loves us and sees us just as he sees his Son. So, even though we do not what we will be like when Jesus returns, God the Father already sees us as we will be. Isn’t that both amazing and reassuring? We do not need to worry about it.

I pray we all know that we will be like Jesus. I pray we know we are children of God. I pray each one of us knows that we are seen as being pure and can continue toward purity. You will be like Jesus. You will be perfect. You are a child of God. God sees you as pure. Continue to progress toward purity.

1 John 3:2-3 Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Children of God

Do you feel loved? Do you know that God loves you? But do you also feel like you are out of place? Like the people you work with and interact with do not identify with you? Have you thought about why that may be? Could it be because you are a child of God, and they are not?

We all desire to be loved and knowing we are loved is important for our well-being. We can be confident that God loves us. Being a child of God is important for our eternal life. Yet, when we are children of God, we won’t fit into this world, if we are following his commands.

We often overlook or take for granted being a child of God. We should not. Not everyone we encounter have chosen to be a child of God. They do not know what it is like to live in his love and know they are accepted by him. Even those who have accepted being his child, not all of them fully accept his love nor do they live in the confidence of his protection.

Being a child of God includes being loved at all times, being forgiven for falling short of perfection, being confident that God has our best interest at heart, and trusting him with all things. It is easy to say we should live this way, but it can be a challenge to do so. Yet, God has called us to fully trust him and his plan for our lives. His plan is not just a big picture plan but includes every moment of every day of our lives.

When we live as children of God and with confidence in him, our lives become less chaotic and fearful. That confidence releases us of worry, anxiety, nervousness, and fear. Instead, we seek his will, include him in all our decisions, and step out in faith that it will all work out as God has determined. This is the abundant life Jesus promised.

I pray we all know we are loved by God. I pray we trust God has our best interest at heart. I pray each one of us live as children of God, including him in our decisions, thereby living the abundant life. Know God loves you. Know he has a plan for you. Trust in his plan. Live the abundant life.

1 John 3:1 See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.