The Reason the Son of God appeared
“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil.” (1John 3:8b). Do not be mistaken - the world in which we live is full of beauty and wonder. How magnificent the sunrise lately. The fascinating life of little creatures around us is a joy to behold. Be it a garden worm chewing compost, a hawk hovering in the sky, cattle grazing, children playing, lovers walking on the beach, or old friends enjoying a yarn and a cuppa together. The Lord God’s world is very lovely indeed.
In every part of the world, however - we see corruption, injustice, war, hatred, bitterness, human communities, nations and families torn apart. We see the suffering of the poor, and the indifference of the wealthy. We see ugly crimes, bitter family feuds.
We must never forget that Jesus is God the Son, come to earth. He has come in to deal with the arch-enemy of the human race, the devil. Or Satan, or the Evil One. These names are given to this creature who’s entire agenda is to thwart the plan of God.
It is of course a cop-out, to say ‘the devil made me do it’. But it is also a sophisticated lie, and a foolish retreat from God’s Word, to deny the existence and action of ‘the evil one’. Again, people have been asking ‘why’ of the tragic events of Port Arthur some 10 years ago. One answer we must not miss is this: the Evil One! Sin is irrational capitulation to do the will of the evil one - idiocy.
O Jesus you came to reverse the horror of the fall, through your death, your grace, healing, forgiveness and eternal life. Thank you.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
Resurrection Implications - Headline News
Resurrection Implications
The Christian claim is that Jesus rose from the dead, and is now, assuredly, the most important person ever born.
This is headline news, not mere religious clap-trap!
The implications of the resurrection of Jesus are enormous. We need to contemplate them.
We cannot know what these implications are however, apart from the interpetation of the event, by those who were given crucial insight into the meaning of it all.
The Apostles. Who are they? They are those called into Jesus confidence, and given the secrets - or the mysteries - of the kingdom of God. These are not special secrets for a few. But they are open secrets for all to hear - if they will. The Open mystery of the gospel was, and is, to be shouted from the rooftops.
1. Death has been defeated. That can almost sound lame, or like a cliche. But it is an occasion for stunning joy to break out across the human race. What? Death defeated? Yes. Yes. Yes. A thousand times, yes! The promise of the gospel is for a resurrection body like that of Jesus - truly human, yet full of glory. Glorified. No wonder there is a universal call for people to have faith. Believe it! C'mon it is stunning news.
2. A new hope has been inaugurated for the whole of creation. Not only does Jesus resurrection mean the redemption of our bodies. It also means the 'making new' of all things. This is the power at work in this resurrected man. Just as the beginning of creation was a sovereign action of God - Let there be light - so too is the resurrection of Jesus an act of God's love, indeed of his grace. The whole of creation now awaits the full outworking of Jesus resurrection effects upon the world.
3. A new way of life has been authenticated. Love. Grand triuphant love in theface of evil powers, political powers, liars, murderers, and all deceptive schemes. Jesus is Victor. Love is ultimately triumphant. His love. Now, we love, becase he first loved us. How does this change take place within angry hearts? Answer: the Spirit of God, comes to us, and indwells us, and we find our sins forgiven, our old lives transcended, and finished. We find ourselves to be loved. The outworking of that is simple: we love! Stunning. And it of course takes a little practise to see what that involves. Indeed lots of trials prove love to be true and enduring. Love now endures all things! (Always did).
4. Lordship. Yes. Lordship. Jesus is Lord, or Jesus is King, or Jesus is Mr. President, or Jesus is Prime Minister - of the nations of the world! This is the strength of his resurrection power. As David ruled Israel. The new David rules his eternal Kingdom. All nations are subjects of this new king 'David' - the son of David - Jesus of Nazareth. What this means for us is that we gladly come under his direction and rule. As the One who is simultaneously the eternal son of God, we seek now to do God's will. We are guided by Jesus. And his Father, And his Spirit.
5. Friendship. We are now included in Abraham's family as friends of God. He was said to be the friend of God. So are we. Jesus has called us his friends. End of loneliness. End of inferiority (friends of the co-Creator of the world! Friends in high places!). Friendship is now our way of life
6. Worship and service are virually the same thing in the New Testament. We serve God, Man and creation. We worship God, honour all people, and now seek to uphold and care well for the creation.
So then, what vast implications the resurrection has! There are many more, I know, that we can list.
Prayer: Risen Lord Jesus, help us to be aware of your presence this day, and to do your will in practical things.
As a wise person advised, now 'Eat That Frog'. (Sorry to all frogs). That is, do the things you need to do, first, without procrastination. The idea is, if you 'eat that frog' at the start of the day, everything that follows will seem relatively simple by contrast.
The Christian claim is that Jesus rose from the dead, and is now, assuredly, the most important person ever born.
This is headline news, not mere religious clap-trap!
The implications of the resurrection of Jesus are enormous. We need to contemplate them.
We cannot know what these implications are however, apart from the interpetation of the event, by those who were given crucial insight into the meaning of it all.
The Apostles. Who are they? They are those called into Jesus confidence, and given the secrets - or the mysteries - of the kingdom of God. These are not special secrets for a few. But they are open secrets for all to hear - if they will. The Open mystery of the gospel was, and is, to be shouted from the rooftops.
1. Death has been defeated. That can almost sound lame, or like a cliche. But it is an occasion for stunning joy to break out across the human race. What? Death defeated? Yes. Yes. Yes. A thousand times, yes! The promise of the gospel is for a resurrection body like that of Jesus - truly human, yet full of glory. Glorified. No wonder there is a universal call for people to have faith. Believe it! C'mon it is stunning news.
2. A new hope has been inaugurated for the whole of creation. Not only does Jesus resurrection mean the redemption of our bodies. It also means the 'making new' of all things. This is the power at work in this resurrected man. Just as the beginning of creation was a sovereign action of God - Let there be light - so too is the resurrection of Jesus an act of God's love, indeed of his grace. The whole of creation now awaits the full outworking of Jesus resurrection effects upon the world.
3. A new way of life has been authenticated. Love. Grand triuphant love in theface of evil powers, political powers, liars, murderers, and all deceptive schemes. Jesus is Victor. Love is ultimately triumphant. His love. Now, we love, becase he first loved us. How does this change take place within angry hearts? Answer: the Spirit of God, comes to us, and indwells us, and we find our sins forgiven, our old lives transcended, and finished. We find ourselves to be loved. The outworking of that is simple: we love! Stunning. And it of course takes a little practise to see what that involves. Indeed lots of trials prove love to be true and enduring. Love now endures all things! (Always did).
4. Lordship. Yes. Lordship. Jesus is Lord, or Jesus is King, or Jesus is Mr. President, or Jesus is Prime Minister - of the nations of the world! This is the strength of his resurrection power. As David ruled Israel. The new David rules his eternal Kingdom. All nations are subjects of this new king 'David' - the son of David - Jesus of Nazareth. What this means for us is that we gladly come under his direction and rule. As the One who is simultaneously the eternal son of God, we seek now to do God's will. We are guided by Jesus. And his Father, And his Spirit.
5. Friendship. We are now included in Abraham's family as friends of God. He was said to be the friend of God. So are we. Jesus has called us his friends. End of loneliness. End of inferiority (friends of the co-Creator of the world! Friends in high places!). Friendship is now our way of life
6. Worship and service are virually the same thing in the New Testament. We serve God, Man and creation. We worship God, honour all people, and now seek to uphold and care well for the creation.
So then, what vast implications the resurrection has! There are many more, I know, that we can list.
Prayer: Risen Lord Jesus, help us to be aware of your presence this day, and to do your will in practical things.
As a wise person advised, now 'Eat That Frog'. (Sorry to all frogs). That is, do the things you need to do, first, without procrastination. The idea is, if you 'eat that frog' at the start of the day, everything that follows will seem relatively simple by contrast.
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