A thought for the New Year

A thought for the New Year

On February 14, 1990, NASA at a distance of 6 billion kilometres (3,7 billion miles) had the Voyager 1 space probe take a picture of the Solar system. It showed earth as a pail blue dot smaller than the head of a pin.
Looking at it we see just how small earth is in the universe. Within the vastness of the universe it seems insignificant. Yet it is everything to those of us who live on it.
That being said what amazes me is that the God who created the universe and everything in it did not think that pail blue dot insignificant at all. For he chose to bless mankind by stepping onto that dot in the form of His One and Only Son Jesus Christ and offering to all who would receive eternal life.
The gospel of John tells us,
“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....  
He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him.  
Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God. 
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, 11-14.
As fantastic as this seems it is true. As they say truth is quite often stranger than fiction.
What the apostle John writes here is the basis of Christian teaching and belief. God in the form of his One and Only Son Jesus Christ entered the world He created in order to call all men to himself. Offering them eternal life in Heaven.
I simply present it here for you to accept or reject. The choice is yours.
Please think about it. 

The Apostles First Sermon

The Apostles first Sermon
The book of Acts records this speech of Peters on the day of Pentecost. Peter states,
“Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.  
This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.  
But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.  
David said about him: “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope,   because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 
You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’ 
“Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.  
But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.  
Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay.  
God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.  
Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.  
For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.” ’ 
“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 
When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  
The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 
With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”  
Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. Acts 2:22-42.
Here is something of note. Peter’s first sermon was on the day of Pentecost when devout Jews from all over the known world were in Jerusalem.
It is safe I think to assume that because this was a major Jewish holiday, the majority of people who heard Peter’s sermon were devout Jews from all over the world. They knew the Jewish scriptures. They knew the prophesies about the Messiah, the Christ.
It is to these people Peter presents what he and all followers of Jesus believed.
1. Jesus was handed over by wicked men with God’s foreknowledge to be put to death.
2. Jesus died and was raised from the dead.
3/ Jesus was exalted to the right hand of God. 
4. Peter emphatically states,
“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
Peter believed Jesus was the Messiah.
When the crowd asks Peter what to do, he states what all believers in Jesus believe you should do,
“Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38.  
The bottom line here is the same today as it was in Peter’s day.
Every individual who hears about Jesus has a choice. You either believe Jesus is the Son of God, the Christ, the suffering Messiah who died for your sins or you do not.
The choice is yours.
Please think about it.

The Risen Christ

The Risen Christ
The apostle Luke writing in his second book the book of Acts states,
“In my former book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach  until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles he had chosen.  
After his suffering, he showed himself to these men and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.” Acts 1:1-3
What Luke notes that Jesus after his resurrection appeared to his followers over a period of forty days.
This to my way of thinking must be true. For the simple fact that if it were not, the lie would hurt the very people Luke wishing to help.
Certainly believers in Christ Jesus to this day believe Jesus was raised from the dead walked on the earth and ascended into heaven. It is a core belief of all who call themselves Christ followers.
It is something each person when confronted with Jesus Christ must decide for themselves.
There are a lot of things we as believers in Christ Jesus believe that the individual must consider. Things that require faith.
The apostle Paul writes,
"Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?  
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.  
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.  For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.” 1Corinthians 1:18-25.
Looked at from a purely human prospective what Christians believe seems unbelievable. Yet it is true.
To the human mind the best way for God to get followers would be to show Himself in a miraculous way. This however would not necessarily produce true believers. Many people would simply believe because they feared what God could do to them. God does not want this.
God wants true followers and true followers are people of faith. The writer of Hebrews states,

“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.

A true person of faith is someone who will continue following what they believe no matter the consequences. They will literally follow what they believe to the grave.
This is what God wants. That is why he sent Jesus in the way he did.
Please think about it.