What’s so great/unique about Christianity? (Video Song) Day 8

What’s so great/unique about Christianity? Day 8

Please read Ephesians 2:4-9

During a conference on religions, different religious leaders from all over the world began a discussion on what might be the unique doctrine of Christianity. They talked about different concepts that Christians expound. Then they realized the concepts - such as incarnation, resurrection, and others- were also taught in other religions. The discussion then turned into a debate and continued for sometime and there was no consensus coming to any unique doctrine of Christianity. Then C. S. Lewis, who came late to the conference that day, entered the room and asked what was going on. Someone explained what was being debated. Mr. Lewis’ pithy response stopped the debate. His response was “That's easy. It's grace”, and then he explained God’s grace to all present.

Dear brother and sister in Christ, our faith is not about what we (can) do for God, but what God has done for us. Some Christians think that God is passive, and man is to be active. But the reality is - God is active in our Christian lives. Beginning with our creation and salvation, everything is about what God, in His grace, is doing or has done through Jesus. We can only receive God’s gracious gift(s) and respond with gratitude (more on grace to come).

Dear gracious God, because of you and your son, I will live forever. Please bless me with an obedient and fruitful life. In Jesus name. Amen.

Here is a great song with lyrics (not the best video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkASXisY9hQ

Does it get tedious? Day 7

Please read Matthew 22: 34-40

An older man, travelling in an airplane began a conversation with the young man sitting next to him. The older man asked the young man whether he was traveling on business or pleasure. “Pleasure,” the young man replied. “I’m going back home from my honeymoon.” “Your honeymoon?” the older man asked, mystified- “Where’s your wife?” “Oh, she’s sitting all the way back. The plane was full, so we couldn’t get seats together.” The plane hadn’t started rolling yet, so the older man said, “I’d be happy to change seats with her so that the two of you can be together.” “That’s okay,” the young man replied. “I’ve been talking to her all week.”  That young man was already tired of his new wife.

Now these might be odd questions to ask - Do you ever get tired of the way God asks you to love others?  Is “The Greatest Commandment’ tedious- because some people are unlovable – especially your neighbor (Greek word plesion according to Christ, any man) in the church/fellowship? Is the second part of the greatest commandment tenable?

Dear brother and sister in Christ, are there times you wish that a certain person would leave your church? Or have you, on occasion, avoided/missed church because of a this person? Have you ever thought – ‘I don’t think Jesus knows how this guy in the church judges, criticizes and bothers me. Does Jesus realize this man is unlovable? How can I keep the “love your neighbor as yourself” coming to this man? How can this person be an image of God?

I have to confess, before I understood the Gospel and what God in His Mercy and Grace did for me through Jesus, I would try to avoid people who judged me and irritated me.   But now I realize, if Jesus were to use the same ruler that I used to judge others, I would still be a lost dead sinner. John emphasizes this in 1 John 3:14. Paul teaches the same in Romans 13:8-10 and Galatians 5:13-14. Jesus loves the unlovable – and that includes me. And he shows us in the Bible how to love others. So let’s meditate more on the love of Jesus to really learn how to love our neighbor.

Dear Jesus, without you loving me I would not have known how to love. Thank you for loving me and teaching me how to love. Amen.

Your Honor, my client is guilty! Day 6

Please read 1 John 2:1

Advocates, Lawyers, Pleaders, Barristers, Attorneys - whatever you call them - they are highly educated, skilled and trained professionals who can get you out of trouble when you break the law. A good attorney, a defense lawyer, will come to court and will plead that you are innocent. He will do his best to set you free, i.e., to make you dodge judgement/punishment when you break the law.  So when you break the law of the land, your human advocate, the person you hire, will argue for your innocence to set you free. That’s what a good defense advocate is supposed to do. However, the human advocate might not come to your defense if you are not able to pay him.

Coming to our text, Apostle John uses the word Advocate to talk about Jesus and what He will do for you. John uses the Greek word parakletos, which means ‘someone who is summoned to one’s side or called to aid the person who is in trouble’. John calls him the “ Jesus Christ the righteous”.  So what will Jesus do when you are going to be judged? He will come to your defense, admit your guilt, and then He will enter the plea to set you free because He paid the atoning sacrifice for your guilt for sinning. You don’t have to pay – He paid the penalty for you! As the Righteous One, Jesus is the only perfect person to defend you and free you. And he does this faithfully and it will cost you nothing except to receive Him and His grace in faith. Charles Spurgeon writes, “God will not be absent when His people are on trial; he will stand in court as their advocate, to plead on their behalf.”

Dear Brother and Sister in Christ, during this Lent season reflect on everything that Jesus did (Romans 5:6-8) and is doing (Hebrews 7:25) for you to “present you holy and blameless and above reproach before” God (Colossians 1:22). 

Dear Jesus, all I can say is Thank You! Amen!

Words that move us … Day 5

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, are there any verses, scriptures, and stories that make you pause, think, or become emotional or contemplative? I am always moved by Joseph’s words that comfort his brothers after Jacob’s death (Genesis 50:15-21 subtitled “God's Good Purposes”(ESV)). I also am struck by the f(F)ather’s running, actions and love for the prodigal (Luke 15:11-24). Please reply with any scriptures that move you every time you read them.

There is one other group of verses, every time I read them, which make me pause and think about God, His character and His love for us sinners all the time. Paul calls it a trustworthy saying (2 Timothy 2:11-13). If I were to write these verses, the sinner in me, would write, “ ¹³ if we are faithless, he will also be faithless”. But that would be a human (2 Timothy 3:2-5) intent on teaching religion, self-righteousness and scaring people. Peter, the sinner, denied Jesus - did Jesus abandon Peter? 

We say our God is love - but do we really understand His love for us?

Dear Jesus, thank you for being with me and for me even when I walk away from you. Amen.