Easter New Beginnings. Also known as "Newbie".
We have someone in our family, actually three, who fell passionately in Love with Jesus and then ran away. About 30 years ago.
My own sons are grown and they swing, gradually, from faithful to doubt to cultural. I know they will be all in. And in the cultural phase, I sat and told him, what do you think God LOVES about you? And proceeded to tell him what it was that made him WONDERFUL. We both cried. A Max Lucado moment telling us why God has our name on His Hand as if God had refrigerator photos and awards.
Explaining God with Love explains God.
We read about Bob Dylon and even John Lennon went through this phase of being Christian. Phase. Because they felt like God was jumping all over them to spread their real joy in God's Love and publicly declare "I" M A CHRISTIAN!!" And then the whole media world just jumped all over them, gave them intense sarcasm and generally created Fresh Hell. And come on... it was hell.
Why Fight the good fight? Well, consider.
The Call of God.
There is too much going on of Importance that is Love.
The Joy far outreaches what is easy to see busy, draggy, sarcasm and pointy.
The Fight has a pattern. The Good Fight.
And Immediately Brings You to the Point ~ Why would a Loving God allow the suffering of the Saints, the Disciples and Jesus?
This question has been asked by - Vikings and - by Germanic raiders worshiping Tiwaz - basically the god of war demanding horrible human sacrifices. These people departed from a God who would take suffering upon Himself.
How would we answer this? Memorably - easy to remember - Jesus is truly about Overcoming.
Getting to the point - is good. Being able to answer someone who thinks God might be "cool", but hey, a lot of people surely die. What's That?
This is establishing why this 'movement' of Christ Followers continue. How long has the Christian movement astonished onlookers? Josephus, General of Judea and Historian to three Roman Emperors. Claudius was astonished.
We live the New Covenant. Each one of us is mankind. God, Himself tells us we have the Light of Jesus Christ and what He has done for us.
We are seeking to tell people of The Light of Christ Jesus - they have in them.
God Himself will tell us - Step Two.
Timothy 3:6
He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.
God is not a big fan of The Religious. The Chapters of Gospel tell us about robes, places and traditions relating to rules.
Revelation 3:6
So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth.
God is not a big fan of mocking. Time to stop. Really. Time is up. Graciously. Stop. God was always good to the Disciples. He knew they made mistakes. God lets us have time to figure out God. God is Love.
Who else did this? The Transfiguration. This potentially could have split them. John would decide Jesus called him never to overtly speak of the Transfiguration. Even if John 1 is John answering all his own questions about the events, miracles and Life Changing.
Peter would tell of this directly. Getting so busy Mark would write the Gospel according to First Century Questions and Interests of Peter's Memories.
James would be invited? Why - he was the first to be in Heaven! James and John probably fortified each other to fully, as brothers, discuss, "What Was THAT?" James was there to experience this blessing himself, but Probably, the open discussions fueled John the rest of his long and very happy life.
Step two tells us after we answer the question of how Jesus Christ has reached our heart, soul and mind - we are immediately sorted into our part in the Body of Jesus Christ.
No Disciple or Apostle of Jesus is identical. Interesting of God to tell us this pretty immediately.
With The Seed Parable being all of us.
The Body of Christ immediately was different members - one from another.
No Disciple follows the path of another. As soon as they believe - the believers are part of the Body of Christ with different viewpoints and functions and life experiences.
(I like the Apocrypha. Middle East religions have fanciful - to us - stories. God is God of the Amazing. The Nicean Council voted this in - having spent their lives in prisons for loving God. Trusting the Emperor not to kill them to assemble. Understanding the Holy Spirit to trust Him to travel far away. The Nicean Council is even St. Nicholas. Some of the Apocrypha is part of Jewish Heritage. Hanukkah and why the Herods got where they arrived. The Apocrypha is Seeker friendly in some cultures. I vote yes, Pere Noel. You don't have to.)
Jesus was getting to Step Two from the newbies.
Serious Discussions.
Luke 9:21-27
21 And he strictly charged and commanded them to tell this to no one,22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. 25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
25 For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?
26 For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
27 But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who will not taste death
until they see the kingdom of God.”
Acts of the Disciples
- The point is the Newbies. Pray for, encourage, Pray for, Expect Jesus.Mark 7:33
After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears.
Then he spit and touched the man's tongue.
Jesus did such a 'country' thing. Like spitting into His hand and shaking over a bargain. This is the same Savior who did so many amazing things.
What amazing thing is there about Jesus to you?
Ask each person. Listen. Learn from the Light of Christ from a newbie. Faith, Jesus compares this to a child. See the new insights.
Ask. As Jesus was 'asking' as He came down the Mountain from the Transfiguration - Jesus asked His Beloved about their experiences with God. Jesus Listened. Jesus got further down the Mountain and His Disciples made a soupy situation. As they, and all of mankind, makes soupy situations. Jesus Listened to the man with the most need. Jesus listened to the Disciples sort of whine. Jesus said, "Have Faith." Jesus had faith in mankind. An amazing Work of God, His Love for us.
Acts of the Disciples.
Jesus gave people Miracles. The type of miracles that Change Lives.
And He did the unfathomable - He said, "Don't tell."
Why? For a very important reason. It was for them alone. Personally. Just the way Jesus took the deaf man aside. He took him away from the crowd.
Newbies were Important to Jesus.
Remember the Lukewarm quote above? Yep.
Give me chastity and continence, but not yet!
Saint Augustine
Awe. Comes from within - The Lord speaking to us.
God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.
Saint Augustine
To see Thee more clearly. Love more dearly, Day by Day.
Since you cannot do good to all, you are to pay special attention to those who, by the accidents of time, or place, or circumstances, are brought into closer connection with you.
Saint Augustine
Joy. Peace. Love.
Thou hast created us for Thyself, and our heart is not quiet until it rests in Thee.
Saint Augustine
Abba,
We always ask Your Blessings.
And in Jesus, we walk with Eyes of Faith. Believing All Things are Possible with Jesus Christ. In all seasons of Life.
Bless us this Season of Lent. Fill us with encouragement of Your Holy Spirit in difficulties. Help us to be Lamplighters. Prayer is God's Power.
To have the mornings seek the Blessing like children seek Easter Eggs. Thank You for the People of God who send us to find more. Bless their Direction.
Help us in all areas of Life to be Aware of Your Directions. Being filled to help the people You have given us to be protected, assured, surrounded and filled when they are down. Knowing we will need this help in return.
Bless the Nations seeking Jesus. Thank You. Bless our Nation. Bless the Beloved of God asking more Heaven on earth. Jesus is God.
Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
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