Energized by the Word of God
This morning we had 14 men turn out for our Monday morning study of the Gospel of John, as we were finishing chapter 12. Sometimes, getting up at 3:45 AM for a 5 AM Bible study is draining for me, but this morning I was energized. My whole day was lifted up, because our men were willing to wrestle with the Word of God and take it seriously. It blesses my heart any time I see anyone take God's Word seriously.
The verse we came to digest was John 12:50a, "And I know that His command is everlasting life." I told the group the previous week that it was going to take me more time to get my mind around all of the meaning of that verse. I challenged them to study it and pray, so we could deal with it this week. They did, and the result was invigorating. Our conclusion was that Jesus was saying that salvation was for all people and that He knew for sure that the Father had sent Him to accomplish the mission of providing everlasting life. Jesus took the order of the Father, and He did not get side tracked on minor things. If Jesus did that, being equal with the Father, what does that mean for us? It means that we have been sent by Jesus, just as the Father sent Him, so we must be sure that God's command for us is to take the gospel to others, so they can have eternal life. We are to do what we can do, since Jesus did all that He could do to provide salvation by His blood.
Now, if that doesn't challenge us and energize us, there is something terribly wrong. We have marching orders from the King of the universe. He wants all to have real life, and we are His army to spread the Word. Yes, He does the saving, but we do the sowing of the seed of God's Word. Every Christian has the most sublime purpose for existing. We are to deal in the eternal destiny of others. That is why Jesus was sent into this world, and that is why we were saved. I pray that if I live to be 100 I will never get over the sense of awe that gives to me and the energy it gives my soul.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Exodus 21-22 and Matthew 19.
The verse we came to digest was John 12:50a, "And I know that His command is everlasting life." I told the group the previous week that it was going to take me more time to get my mind around all of the meaning of that verse. I challenged them to study it and pray, so we could deal with it this week. They did, and the result was invigorating. Our conclusion was that Jesus was saying that salvation was for all people and that He knew for sure that the Father had sent Him to accomplish the mission of providing everlasting life. Jesus took the order of the Father, and He did not get side tracked on minor things. If Jesus did that, being equal with the Father, what does that mean for us? It means that we have been sent by Jesus, just as the Father sent Him, so we must be sure that God's command for us is to take the gospel to others, so they can have eternal life. We are to do what we can do, since Jesus did all that He could do to provide salvation by His blood.
Now, if that doesn't challenge us and energize us, there is something terribly wrong. We have marching orders from the King of the universe. He wants all to have real life, and we are His army to spread the Word. Yes, He does the saving, but we do the sowing of the seed of God's Word. Every Christian has the most sublime purpose for existing. We are to deal in the eternal destiny of others. That is why Jesus was sent into this world, and that is why we were saved. I pray that if I live to be 100 I will never get over the sense of awe that gives to me and the energy it gives my soul.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Exodus 21-22 and Matthew 19.