June 14th 2020
How would I react to knowing Jesus Christ, when He was crucified, if I had been there?
Matthew 5:14a and 16 (NIV)
"You are the light of the world. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
How would I react to knowing Jesus Christ, when He was crucified, if I had been there? How would you have reacted; would you have been one of those who were praising Him as being the Messiah on Thursday and then requesting He be crucified on Friday? Perhaps I might have been selfish, like so many who were healed or freed from demons, but then did not care after that, being only interested in what they had received from Him, and waiting to see what else they could get from Him. During this pandemic we have seen and heard great praise for the first responders, which included the policing entities around this country, and even around the world. Then the evil actions of one of these first responders caused huge crowds to be formed, which destroyed property of small business owners, and hatred develop for ALL of these recently praised and honored people who have chosen to be a form of first responders. This is just what happened to Jesus Christ the Son of God who had come into this world not to condemn it but to save it. Yes, I know this ideal concept may be frowned on by some who may read it, but it just seemed impossible for me to ignore what is happening in our country today!
In the selected verses Jesus is telling His followers that they (we) are considered by Him, as He states, "You are the light of the world.” When Jesus was walking around on this cursed world, He stated that He was the light of this world. John captures a couple of Jesus’ statements to that effect. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (John 9:5). Later Jesus told His disciples and others that He is the light of the world. When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." (John 8:12). It appears here we get to read our Bible to understand how Jesus is transitioning from Himself as the ”I am the light of the world," to later Jesus is passing on to His disciples (us) the ability for them to become the “light of life." In the selected verses we read what Jesus says about who or what we should be in this cursed world until He returns, as He states "You are the light of the world. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
Do you think mankind will see you as a source or light or as a source of darkness when they get to know you? There are many types of prejudice in this cursed world, and there always has been, as we can read about there were only three men in this world, and one brother killed his brother over jealousy. Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man." Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let’s go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don’t know," he replied. "Am I my brother’s keeper?"
Jesus came into this cursed world to change the world by bringing in the capability for mankind to change from a lifestyle of darkness and into a lifestyle of light, with mankind being this source of light to shine to light the way for those who have not yet come to know Jesus. God sent His Son into this cursed world to first be the light, and then for Jesus to transition His followers to become the light of this world, then they are to “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” So, our light is meant to result in good deeds that will point those seeing these good deeds to “praise your Father in heaven.” There can be no love of mankind without them overcoming this world through the love of God our Father in heaven.
John wrote for us about how the God of the Bible who created everything through His Son maintains this world and expresses His love through those who choose to follow Jesus.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:7-10). In this cursed world we can know our salvation has been secured by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through our salvation we gain the light and life purchased for us by Jesus’ that we can pass on to others by helping them overcome this world through coming to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
John wrote a very good description of how we as followers of Jesus should express the love of God/Jesus to other members of mankind. I do not think I could add anything to this.
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No-one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4:11-21).
The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Galatians 5:14). There is no fear in Love!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
Matthew 5:14a and 16 (NIV)
"You are the light of the world. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
How would I react to knowing Jesus Christ, when He was crucified, if I had been there? How would you have reacted; would you have been one of those who were praising Him as being the Messiah on Thursday and then requesting He be crucified on Friday? Perhaps I might have been selfish, like so many who were healed or freed from demons, but then did not care after that, being only interested in what they had received from Him, and waiting to see what else they could get from Him. During this pandemic we have seen and heard great praise for the first responders, which included the policing entities around this country, and even around the world. Then the evil actions of one of these first responders caused huge crowds to be formed, which destroyed property of small business owners, and hatred develop for ALL of these recently praised and honored people who have chosen to be a form of first responders. This is just what happened to Jesus Christ the Son of God who had come into this world not to condemn it but to save it. Yes, I know this ideal concept may be frowned on by some who may read it, but it just seemed impossible for me to ignore what is happening in our country today!
In the selected verses Jesus is telling His followers that they (we) are considered by Him, as He states, "You are the light of the world.” When Jesus was walking around on this cursed world, He stated that He was the light of this world. John captures a couple of Jesus’ statements to that effect. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (John 9:5). Later Jesus told His disciples and others that He is the light of the world. When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life." (John 8:12). It appears here we get to read our Bible to understand how Jesus is transitioning from Himself as the ”I am the light of the world," to later Jesus is passing on to His disciples (us) the ability for them to become the “light of life." In the selected verses we read what Jesus says about who or what we should be in this cursed world until He returns, as He states "You are the light of the world. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”
Do you think mankind will see you as a source or light or as a source of darkness when they get to know you? There are many types of prejudice in this cursed world, and there always has been, as we can read about there were only three men in this world, and one brother killed his brother over jealousy. Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, "With the help of the LORD I have brought forth a man." Later she gave birth to his brother Abel. Now Abel kept flocks, and Cain worked the soil. In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." Now Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let’s go out to the field." And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him. Then the LORD said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" "I don’t know," he replied. "Am I my brother’s keeper?"
Jesus came into this cursed world to change the world by bringing in the capability for mankind to change from a lifestyle of darkness and into a lifestyle of light, with mankind being this source of light to shine to light the way for those who have not yet come to know Jesus. God sent His Son into this cursed world to first be the light, and then for Jesus to transition His followers to become the light of this world, then they are to “let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” So, our light is meant to result in good deeds that will point those seeing these good deeds to “praise your Father in heaven.” There can be no love of mankind without them overcoming this world through the love of God our Father in heaven.
John wrote for us about how the God of the Bible who created everything through His Son maintains this world and expresses His love through those who choose to follow Jesus.
Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. (1 John 4:7-10). In this cursed world we can know our salvation has been secured by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Through our salvation we gain the light and life purchased for us by Jesus’ that we can pass on to others by helping them overcome this world through coming to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
John wrote a very good description of how we as followers of Jesus should express the love of God/Jesus to other members of mankind. I do not think I could add anything to this.
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No-one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4:11-21).
The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." (Galatians 5:14). There is no fear in Love!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
|
|
|