June
25, 2017
“Christ laid down His life for our brothers and sisters and each and every one of us! (1 John 3:16)”
“Christ laid down His life for our brothers and sisters and each and every one of us! (1 John 3:16)”
If
you turn on the television, listen to the radio or even only hear the
highlights of the days news, it sounds like our world is spiraling down and out
of control. From events in the Middle
East, Asia and most recently in London and even our own Capital of Washington,
DC, sadly life is no longer valued and people dying. Sometimes as a result of evil in our world,
at other times just a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong
time. The reality remains, we the church
of Jesus Christ live ‘in the world’.
We
as the church have a choice, either we can become like an ostrich and stick our
head in the sand. It seems the safe bet,
no harm if we don’t encounter that which is evil. No harm if we choose not to look and do what
is right if we ‘don’t see it’. Yet, when
and if we do this, we then forget the truth that John the evangelist reminds us
about from our epistle this morning.
In
1st John 3:16, like the Gospel of John 3:16, we are reminded of the
truth that sets us free. John wrote, “Christ
laid down His life for our brothers and sisters and each and every one of us!” Jesus Christ was willing to faithfully stand
firm against the evil of the devil and ‘lay down His life’ and die in order to offer
us eternal life. Jesus Christ knowing
not only the future, knew that the only way we would have eternal life would
require His life. And it required Jesus
Christ taking on the sins of the entire world and redeeming us and offering us
the greatest gift of grace the world would ever see or be offered, eternal life.
What
was the price? To us and all of mankind,
the cost is free because Jesus Christ has paid for our ticket to eternity. All we have to do is believe, that Jesus “Christ
laid down His life for our brothers and sisters and each and every one of us!” When we believe this and lay claim to Jesus
Christ offer of grace and mercy out of His great love for us, when we take our
final breath, we will receive the gift of eternal life. We will receive Jesus Christ offer of
salvation out of His great love for all of mankind, including each and every
one of us.
Jesus
Christ offer of grace didn’t come out of obligation, but out of love for His
Father in heaven. Jesus listened to the
voice of His Father and willingly Jesus “Christ laid down His life for our brothers
and sisters and each and every one of us!” How might we receive this? It is simple, believe in Jesus Christ and His
offer of grace on the Cross of Calvary, and feel His loving embrace as His follower.
This
coming week we as Emmanuel offer to our community again the opportunity for the
Gospel message of Jesus Christ to be shared and proclaimed again with Sky
Ranch. It is a long history and
connection we have with Sky Ranch and their coming here is one way we not only
impact our community, but inspire our church to embrace and be embraced by the
love of God and His offer of grace and mercy for all of mankind. How can we support this? Simply by praying for God’s will to be done,
helping us to get the word out and ultimately by loving everyone who walks
through the doors of our church.
When
we love unconditionally and without attitude or looking down on people no
matter how we feel, God redeems not only the relationship with Him and the
people we encounter even here in the church, but by His power inspires our love
for each other through His perfect example.
We then are not ‘hiding our head in the sand’, but taking a firm stand
with Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and insuring a simple fact. That the message of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ can change us and faithfully saying with John, Jesus “Christ
laid down His life for our brothers and sisters and each and every one of us!” AMEN.
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