John 19:28-37 Witnessing To The Truth

John 19:28-37 NIV
 "It is finished." Jesus' last words on earth were a declaration that his life; his work here on earth, was complete. He had fulfilled the prophecies of old.

There were witnesses to his death. The soldier who pierced him with a spear saw that he was already dead. There was a witness who testified that he had seen water and blood flow from the wound made by the spear. This man saw this and testified to them so that we might also believe. It is upon the testimony of this man and many others that we have the truth of what happened to Jesus. The testimony of this man has been passed down for generations so that all might believe.

I know that this testimony will not be stopped. The Spirit of God has empowered generations to speak the truth about Jesus. Even in the face of much persecution, themselves, the truth has been proclaimed to generations and will continue to be shared with those who do not know him.

I pray that you will be a witness of all that Jesus has done for you, for all humankind. Be not afraid; rejoice and share the Good News of the Kingdom through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour.

God's Peace - Pr. J  

Proverbs 21 - The Kingdom Cannot be Bought

"A person may think their own ways are right, but the Lord weighs the heart." (Prov 21:2 NIV)

So many excuses... We use them all in order to not do what is right. How often have we written a check to some charitable agency to assuage our guilt? The LORD knows why the offering or sacrifice is given. It is so much easier for many of us to write a check rather than actually get involved.

I remember, years ago, offering to pick up an elderly woman so that she could attend worship. She no longer drove and was pretty much a shut-in. I visited her regularly. I was floored when my offer was received with a short, "I paid my dues." In other words, she was telling me that she had spent enough time worshipping God. That was her sacrifice: attending worship and making her weekly offering. For some reason she rationalized that she had earned her way into heaven by faithful church attendance in previous years. Somehow, she had even built up a reserve!

She had presented herself as a faithful Christian for many, many decades. Yet, the question remains: was she faithful to God or to herself? How, can one spend so many years hearing the Word in a Lutheran church and come away thinking that we can buy ourselves a way to heaven by attending worship and paying our tithes. The only way to the Kingdom of God, is through faith in the one who died and yet lives for us, Jesus Christ our Lord. So how is it that there are so many "Christians" who feel that they have paid their dues, paid the debt? Jesus paid the debt. You and I cannot even begin to pay the ransom for our own lives. Jesus already paid the ransom. It is a free gift to you. Receive it and quit your futile attempts to save yourself. We worship God, not to save ourselves, but because God has already saved us through His Son. Worship is an act of thanksgiving and praise for what He has already done, not to get Him to do something to benefit us in the present or future. Jesus said on the cross "It is finished!" Indeed, it is. It is finished and we rejoice. We show our gratitude by worshipping Him and by sharing the Good News of what He has done with others. God knows whether we are being faithful to Him or faithful to ourselves. He weighs our hearts. He knows whether we worship Him or ourselves, our own lives and good works.

If you consider worshipping God as the sacrifice you make; then the next time you're at Worship, it might be good for you to actually listen to what your Pastor is saying. Jesus made that ultimate sacrifice that you might live eternally in our Father's Kingdom. You cannot, by your good works, by your sacrifice of time or money, earn your way into His Kingdom. Whether you attend worship or stay at home, no matter what excuse you use, the LORD weighs your heart and knows the truth.

God's Peace - Pr. J
 
P.S. Don't forget to read Proverbs 21 today, it is full of wisdom to help guide you in your journey.