God made flesh

 God made flesh

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  

He was with God in the beginning. 

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  

In him was life, and that life was the light of men....

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. ” John 1:1-4,14.

The above quotation from the book of John is a fundamental belief of Christians. At first glance is seems outrageous but it is true.

If it were not true why would early Christians include it in the very documents they were writing to prove their faith.

The fact that the early Christians claimed that Jesus was God incarnate, God in the flesh means, at least to me, they have committed a lie so outrageous that it has fooled millions. If not billions of people through out history and in modern times. 

C. S. Lewis wrote,

"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. 

A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. 

You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to." C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity.

Please think about it.

To the grave

 To the grave

The apostle Paul wrote,

"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:18.

In human terms can you think of a more crazy scenario for starting a movement than having the leader of that movement to die in the most hideous way. 

Yet we Christians believe that Jesus whom we believe to be God incarnate died on the cross for our sins.

The question I’ve heard from many non-Christians is, why would God allow Jesus to die like that? Why wouldn’t Jesus call a host of angels to show His power.

For me the answer is simple. Jesus wanted people to follow him by faith. 

In the book of Hebrews we read,

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  Hebrews 11:1

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." Hebrews 11:6.

Men and women that have true faith in anything are the strongest of believers. They will die for what they believe in. 

Had Jesus called down angels to protect him. Or shown his power in other ways. It may have lead to people believing in him out of fear of what He could do to them. Such followers are not true followers.

True followers believe what their leader says. They are willing to follow him through all kinds of persecution, to the grave if necessary. And while God may not ask believers to follow Him to the grave. He asks for that kind of commitment.

If you consider yourself a true Christian. A true follower of Christ Jesus are you willing to follow Him to the grave?

Please think about it. 

Do you truly believe in God

 Do you truly believe in God?

In the book of Hebrews we read,

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  Hebrews 11:1

Are you certain God exists?

Is there any doubt in your mind that God exists?

I think of all the things we can do. Having faith in someone or something unseen is the hardest. Which is why I think God asks us to have faith in Him because people who have faith in something are often the ones who are willing to go to their death for what they believe in.

The writer of Hebrews also reminds us,

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6.

So do you believe in God?

Please think about it.

Keep an open mind

  Keep an open mind

The apostle John writes,

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  

He was with God in the beginning. 

Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  

In him was life, and that life was the light of men....

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. " John 1:1-4,14.

I have always said that if this portion of scripture is wrong then the apostle John and indeed the apostles of Christ have created the greatest lie in all of human history. A lie the believers in Christ Jesus are still perpetrating on mankind to this day.

On the other hand, (and I believe this to be true). If the apostle John is telling the truth. The day Jesus entered the world is the most momentous day in human history.

The thing is no one can force you to believe what John is saying here. Each individual must decide for him or her self if it is true.

If you believe it to be true then I firmly believe you need to start at least reading the New Testament in order to see what those who knew Jesus believed. As well as what the early church believed about Jesus.

If you don’t believe that God entered this world He created I would urge you to keep an open mind and read the New Testament to see what the early Christian church believed about Jesus.

Please think about it.

Fill your mind

 Fill your mind

The apostle Paul wrote,

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Philippians 4:8.

One commentary I read on this verse said, 

“the Philippians are to fill their minds with things that inspire worship of God and service to others.”

Many people in the world look at Christians and ask the question “why should I follow Christ?” Many look at the negative message given by those who call themselves Christian and turn away from God.

I believe as Christians we need to show the world around us a reason to follow Jesus. A reason to put their trust in God.

We need to be doing what is noble, what is right, what is pure, what is lovely, what is admirable and what is excellent and praiseworthy about God.

If you claim to be a Christian are you doing this?

Please think about it

An Old Sermon

 An old sermon

The book of Acts tells of this incident in which the apostle Paul was invited to speak in the Areopagus by Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. It is if you will the first century example of what we to day would call a Ted Talk.

At the end of the talk we are told some sneered, some wanted to hear more while others believed what he said, 

I leave what Paul said here for you the reader to decide if you believe him or not. The book of acts reads,

"So he (Paul) reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there.  

A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to dispute with him. Some of them asked, "What is this babbler trying to say?" Others remarked, "He seems to be advocating foreign gods." They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection.  

Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, "May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting?  

You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean."  

(All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) 

Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious.  

For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. 

"The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands.  

And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else.  

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.  

God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.  

‘For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.' 

"Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man's design and skill.  

In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.  For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead." 

When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, "We want to hear you again on this subject."  

At that, Paul left the Council.  

A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others”Acts 17:17-34

Please think about it.

On God

On God
In the book of Genesis we read,

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." 

                                                                                                Genesis 1:1.

The Bible was written to believers in God and believers need no convincing that God exists. Thus no explanation is given.
In the Gospel of John referring to Jesus as the word we read,
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  
He was with God in the beginning. 
Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  
In him was life, and that life was the light of men....
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. " John 1:1-4,14.
Again the Gospel of John and indeed the whole of the New Testament was written to Christians, to believers in Christ Jesus and to such believers no explanation is necessary. Jesus is God incarnate. God in the flesh.
The question thus becomes to non-believers;
Do you believe what the Bible states?
Is there an almighty God?
Did this God in the form of His One and Only Son, Christ Jesus enter the world He created to show each mankind the way to heaven?
These questions to my mind are crucial questions everyone on earth when confronted with the Bible must answer. For as C. S. Lewis stated,
“Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important.” C. S. Lewis.
Please think about it.

True Worshippers

True Worshippers
Jesus said,
“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:23-24.
Are you a true worshipper? Do you truly worship God in spirit and in truth? These are questions only you can answer.
God in the book of Exodus states,
“You shall have no other gods before me.” Exodus 20:3.
In the book of Joshua we read,
“Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.   Joshua 24:14.
If we consider ourselves true followers of Christ Jesus, we must examine our lives and ask ourselves in no uncertain terms if we are truly worshipping God in spirit and in truth.
We must ask ourselves the question am I putting anything or anyone ahead of God? We must ask, Am I mixing my faith with anything else, politics, philosophy, anything?
So my questions to you the reader are,
Do you put anything ahead of God?
Are you mixing your belief in God with anything?
Are you truly worshipping God in spirit and in truth?
Please think about it.

What if?

What if?
Jesus said,
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13,14.
What if, what Jesus is saying here is true.
What, if God has provided mankind with a narrow gate that leads to heaven?
What if, what Jesus said is true when he said,
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6?
What if, Simeon’s words about Jesus, recorded in Luke are true when he said,
“Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. 
For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” Luke 2:28-32?
What if, Martha’s statement about Jesus is true when she said,
“Yes Lord” she told Him, “I believe you are the Christ the Son of God, who was to come into the world,...”John 11:27?
What if Simon Peters words about Jesus is true when he said,
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Matthew 16:,15,16?
What if the words written by the writer of Hebrews is correct when it says,
“In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe.  
The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.” Hebrews 1:1-3.
What if the words of Jesus are true when he said,
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.  
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son”. John 3:16-18?
I leave it for you to think about.
Please think about it.

Why Include Miracles?

Why Include Miracles?

“On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days.  
Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother.  
When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. 
“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died.  
But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 
Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 
Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 
“Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”... 
Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance.  
“Take away the stone,” he said. “But, Lord,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man, “by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days.” 
Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” 
So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.  
I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me.” 
When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out!”  
The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” John 11:17-27, 38-44
Here is the abbreviated story of Lazarus being raised from the dead by Jesus. It is one of many miracles Jesus did.
Critics of Jesus and the Bible say such things didn’t happen. My question to them would be. Then why if these incidents are untrue would the gospel writers include them?
Keep in mind the gospels were written within living memory of the events.
Keep in mind also that the gospel writers were looking to make disciples and to lie or make something up that is so fantastic that it couldn’t possibly be true would hurt their cause.
No, the accounts of the miracles of Jesus are true as are the accounts of miracles in the Old Testament.
Through these accounts God shows His power and love to mankind.
The apostle Paul noted,
“Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,  but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”  1Corinthians 1:22-24.
Throughout the Bible we see through the miracles proof of God’s power.
We also see the Bible is written logically with a purpose.
It contains wisdom for man to live by. Promoting a lifestyle of Love for God, Love for one’s neighbours and even for one’s enemies.
If followed correctly the lifestyle Jesus promoted, shows mankind how to live in harmony with one’s fellow man.
Please think about it.