Innocent

Innocent
December 3, 2012
Numbers 6:14  "There they are to present their offerings to the LORD . . . a year-old ewe lamb without defect for a sin offering . . . "

When you think of a baby, you cannot help but think of its innocence.  A baby is precious and delicate, helpless and completely dependent.  It is pure and sinless.  Jesus was born a baby with this same spotless record, completely and utterly innocent.  But unlike our babies who grow into sinful adults, Jesus grew in His innocence.  He was not tainted by the world; He did not indulge in sin.  He remained holy, never falling from perfection or succumbing to the ways of this earth and the path the rest of us have walked.  It is because of His maintained innocence that He became the perfect sacrifice for our own sins.  Irony rests in this statement though, as Jesus, the most perfect of people, innocent as a newborn baby, was murdered because of His innocence.

Before being sentenced to death, Jesus stood before Pilate and Herod who both declared His innocence, stating He had done nothing wrong deserving of death.  The Pharisees contended, however, saying Jesus was guilty of claiming to be the Son of God.  That was the one thing Jesus was actually guilty of: being the Son of God.  Irony abounds in the guilt of Jesus being the Son of God.  It was foretold that the Son of God would come to be the perfect and innocent sacrifice for our sins.  This innocence of sin combined with the guilt of being the Son of God was ultimately what killed Jesus.  Thankfully, He overcame this death by rising from the dead, but the travesty of killing such innocence should weigh heavily upon us as we enter this Christmas season celebrating His birth, the birth of innocence.

Christmas is a time to reflect upon the arrival of Jesus, the birth of an innocent baby.  None of us would ever think of killing an innocent baby and would rightfully condemn anyone who did.  But our own sins required just that: the killing of innocence.  It gives fullness to the thought of what our deliberate sins did to our Savior on that cross; He had to die in order that we might be free from sin.  Someday we will enter the Kingdom of Heaven and be declared innocent of our sins by the one who died for them, by the one who was innocent of them.

Our innocence, though lost since we were babies, can be obtained again by the work of the Savior who entered this world as a baby.  It is good to reflect on Jesus as a baby, since a baby epitomizes the essence of innocence.  It took innocence to make us innocent again.  As we comprehend what the Lord did for us in sending His Son, think upon Him in a new light: the light of knowing His pureness, His spotlessness, His innocence was required to cover over all the dirty rotten filth we have allowed into our lives through sin since the time we were babies.  Be thankful He came as a baby because that's what it took for you and me to have forgiveness and eternal life.
 
Don't take my word for it; look it up:   Lev 4 & 5, Is 7:14-15, Matt 27:11-19, Luke 23:1-15, John 8:45-46, Heb 10:10, 1 John 2:2, 1 John 4:10

In His Name

In His Name
Nov 26, 2012
John 10:25-26  ". . . The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep."

Jesus was very clear that we should do our works of service in His Name.  This means we are to represent Him in all that we do and be clear we are doing it In His Name, making it obvious we are  Christians.  This requires a figurative "name badge" or declaration that we are serving others BECAUSE of Jesus, FOR Jesus.  Jesus was the first example of this, declaring everything He did was in His Father's name.  We are to do likewise.  We are to welcome "the least of these" in His name.  We are to serve others, in doing so we will be serving Him.  If you simply do good things for others, but not in His Name, however, will they count?  This creates a difference between humanitarian efforts and Christian service.  If it isn't clear to the one being served that Jesus is the reason behind the generous act of kindness, then it is simply a humanitarian effort, with no Heavenly benefit.

I have an acquaintance who demonstrates the most amazing acts of service.  She is a wonderfully generous woman who sacrifices much to meet the needs of others less fortunate than herself.  She delivers meals to elderly shut-ins several times a week; she spends time visiting people in nursing homes who have no family; she serves meals to the homeless; she gives generously to help meet the financial needs of those who are struggling financially.  For years she opened her home to children whose families were unable to provide them with all they needed.  For all apparent purposes, she appears to be a wonderful representation of all Christ commanded us to do in the New Testament—take care of His sheep.  She leaves one thing out, however.  Though it is all wonderful, none of it is done IN HIS NAME.  The people she serves have never heard the name of Jesus coupled with her work.

It is not enough to do good works of service or perform valiant, humanitarian-type efforts.  Jesus wanted the work that we do to point to the Lord.  In this world, there are many who do good things for others but if they do so only out of the kindness of their heart, then it does not point toward the Lord.  We are supposed to do our acts of service, making it clear that the Lord is behind it all.  If you are a Christian and you do good works, then make it clear you are doing so because of the Lord.  It is all supposed to point toward Heaven.  Everything is supposed to be done "In His Name."  This means we are to share the Love of Jesus in a verbal manner during or immediately after the act of generosity.  If the circumstance doesn't allow you to discuss Christ, it should still be clear it is because of the name of Jesus that you do such nice things.  Christian acts of service should be our number one witnessing tool.

The reason for this is two-fold.  First, the Lord does not want you to get praise or glory when the act of service is appreciated.  The glory needs to go to Him alone.  Secondly, the Lord wants there to be spiritual fruit involved for the person being served.  In meeting the physical needs of others, there is limited spiritual benefit to them unless they know the "who" and "why" behind the generosity.  Jesus was the first example of this hundreds of times over in the Bible. Before He would speak to their spiritual needs, He met their physical needs.  However, EVERYONE knew the generosity of Jesus came from above.  This is what brought people to the Lord.  In doing our acts of kindness, it is critical to be leading them toward the Lord with every opportunity.  It is not enough to serve them, it MUST be done IN HIS NAME.

Don't take my word for it; look it up:   Matthew 25:39-41, Matthew 25:44-46, Mark 9:36-37, Mark 9:40-42, Luke 9:47-48

Go Back

Go Back
Nov 19, 2012
Luke 15:18  "I will set out and go back to my father. . ."

While driving in the car recently with all my children, we took a brand new route that was unfamiliar to me.  It was an interesting new drive and it certainly appeared to the children that we were lost, as the surroundings were new and different.  We had arrived at our destination successfully when one my children spoke up with what can only be described as a "Captain Obvious" type statement.  He said that if we wanted to go home, we should just go back and travel the opposite of the route we had just taken.  At first I ignored his comment because I knew the way home, but after a moment I realized the wisdom in what he said.  It was similar to what Jesus said in the parable of the Lost Son.  Jesus said that if we should wander away we could go back home by simply returning to the father.

In the famous parable, the Prodigal Son realized he didn't like his destination, where he had arrived.  He had regret and longed to be back where he was before.  The Prodigal Son came to the same epiphany that my own child declared, regarding finding the way home: Go Back.  To "go back" means to return in the opposite manner, to travel in the reverse direction of the original path.  The Prodigal Son did just that.  He returned back home taking the opposite direction he had traveled.  It was a forsaking of his current destination and returning to the original state or place.

While you may not be a million miles from where you once were in life, having walked completely away from the Lord, there is still daily application to you and me in this story.  All of us get off track in life; we veer in a direction that takes us away from home, slightly away from a perfect relationship with the Lord.  Maybe we simply take on a few bad habits that don't exemplify the righteous life we once lived.  Maybe we allow coarse relationships or unforgiveness in our lives.  Maybe we partake in activities that we once shunned.  Whatever the infraction, there is always the opportunity to go back and return to the original state.  I know you have regret over actions and routes you've taken in life.  You might even regret the person you have allowed yourself to become lately.  But there is always the opportunity to go back.  Jesus said the Father would always welcome us home.

Sadly, however, I write this because you may find yourself in a unique place a few years from now.  You might be far from where you are today in your relationship with the Lord.  Mark these words and remember them carefully.  Though you may not intend it, your decisions might lead you away, on a road far from home.  I write this to you and beg you to remember that the Lord will always take you back.  All you have to do is turn around and go back home.  You don't need a map; all you have to do is go the reverse of where you currently find yourself.  The opposite route will be the way.  And when you get there, the Lord will have His arms open wide.

Don't take my word for it; look it up:   2 Chron 7:14, Neh 1:9, Zech 1:3, Mal 3:7, Luke 15:10-32