Month: April 2016

In our world of electronic banking and credit cards, it’s easy to ignore what things cost.

The same is true when we think of what the cost of sin really was – and is. In our culture, we can enjoy any temporary pleasure while being completely clueless about what God says is the price of transgression (Rom. 6:23).

The Bible tells what our sin cost Jesus. For our sake, He suffered…

1. Physical pain. During the hours leading up to His crucifixion, Jesus was mocked, beaten, and humiliated. (See John 19.) In His weakened state, He was forced to carry on His shoulders the instrument of His death—the cross. Then He was nailed to it and hoisted up to die an excruciating death.

2. Man’s sin. Jesus lived a perfect life on earth and never personally knew the disgrace of sin or the bitterness of regret until it was heaped upon him at the cross (2 Cor. 5:21). There, Christ experienced the fullness of our transgressions, guilt, and shame.

In the final hours, Jesus was separated from His Father (Mark 15:34), their fellowship broken for the only time since eternity past. Our sin became the barrier that kept them apart until Jesus Christ’s work of atonement was finished (John 19:30).

Our Savior suffered greatly on our behalf, shedding His blood so we might become part of God’s family (John 1:12). He calls us to a life of sacrificial service—doing the Father’s work and living to please Him. In light of what our salvation cost, how can we do anything less?

Jesus said, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice (Luke. 8:21).

My band director, like most music teachers, impressed on his students the need for frequency and intensity in the practice of practice. We were taught, “You will perform what you practice”. It doesn’t matter the difficulty or the brevity of the music, if you practice it right, you will perform it right.

So when people think that the teaching of Jesus is but an unattainable ideal and a purity beyond us, they have forgotten this mantra that works well in whatever we set our hearts to accomplish.

In the sermon on the Mount, Jesus contrasts what the people “have heard the ancients where told” with what God had said by stating “And I say to you.”  Of course, He declared Himself the best of all interpreters because He was its Author too but He realigned the truth from the mangle of human tradition and religious rhetoric to show them, and us, what we can be.

To see the Sermon as only an ideal of what should be instead of what we can be, makes us impotent to be what God believes we should be – by His grace. Of course, we will always need grace. But grace does not prevent us from attaining this purity. Instead, “the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age” (Titus 2:11-12, ESV).

So do not stop with the truth that grace saves us in our shortcomings. Rather, let grace compel us to drive us beyond it as Paul said, “I press toward the mark for the prize. . .” (Phil. 3:14).

Therefore, every day, practice the righteousness to which God has called us. The ideals of His Sermon may be difficult to understand, swallow or practice, yet He ends His sermon with the illustration of the foolish and wise builder. He tells us: “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock… But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand” (Mt.7:24-27).

You will perform what you practice. So get busy today, trusting in His grace, and practice righteousness.

Did you know that you’re in a race?

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 9:24-26, “In a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize. So run your race to win. To win the contest you must deny yourselves many things that would keep you from doing your best. An athlete goes to all this trouble just to win a blue ribbon or a silver cup, but we do it for a heavenly reward that never disappears. So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I fight to win” (TLB).

While running the race, who would want to get sidelined? I don’t want to get run off into a ditch or directed the wrong way. I want to finish and win. Don’t you? Paul’s image of an athlete has three things to teach us about being the winner here.

You must intend to win. This divides the casual Christian from committed Christians just as there is a difference between competitive golfers and casual ones. The committed golfer seriously plays to win. But the casual golfer is just along for the fun. If you’re going to win in eternal life, it’s got to be intentional. It’s not going to happen by accident or without effort.

You must discipline yourself. Further, the committed athlete becomes a pro in training. You don’t become great by doing whatever you feel like doing. There are no shortcuts to maturity. What are some things you can do without so you can spend more time with God, give more to God, serve more, and be more of what God wants you to be?

You must stay focused on the reward. You can handle enormous pain and discipline in your life if you realize there’s a purpose for it and that there’s going to be a payoff at the end. The Bible says in Hebrews 12:2, “Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed — that exhilarating finish in and with God — he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God” (MSG).

So get in the game of eternal life, and run like you mean it.

Genesis 1:26: Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all[a] the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

“Who are we and what does it mean to be human?” This is, obviously, one of the most important questions we could ever ask. But we nned to remember with this, wrong answers will lead to wronged lives. These Bible verses keep us from that. We are creatures of God made in His image.

The fact that we are creatures of God made in His image means, first of all, that we are dependent upon God for our very existence. We are not God and we are really nothing without Him.

Secondly, although we are creatures of God, we are the creatures of God made in His image. We have a special status above that of the other creatures. As a result, we are able to fellowship with God and respond to His Will.

Thirdly, because we are like God we have the ability to rule over the rest of God’s creation and take control of it. This does not mean we can do whatever we want with it, because we are representing God as His vice-regents over the creation.

The biblical view is balanced. It does not elevate us to the status of God above us and it does not demote us to the status of the creatures below us. It does not allow us to think more highly of ourselves than we should and it does not allow us to think less of ourselves than we should.

So today, be emboldened to be who God made you to be – nothing more than that and certainly nothing less.

Jesus never intended His followers to live their lives in isolation from each other. When they went spreading the word, they went two-by-two or small teams. He described their relationships as “family” and told them to look out for “your brother.” Life with Christ was always intended to be a life together.

This same emphasis is continued in the rest of the New Testament where His followers are called the household of God and urged to bear each other’s burdens. We can’t do it by ourselves because we were never intended to do it by ourselves.

In the New Testament, there are over 60 passages that speak of blessings and responsibilities with “one another” or “each other.”  Here are three:

1. John 15:17 — “This I command you, that you love one another.”
2. Romans 14:19 — “So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.”
3. Philippians 2:3 — “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves…”

As a Christian, you are not intended to “go solo” or “be an island.”  Jesus calls us to belong and to love, to build up and to regard each other with importance. So “join yourself to a band of disciples” like Paul did (Acts 9:26) and experience the real “one another” of fellowship in the Savior. Your life in Christ did begin with Him. Yet, because He commands it to be, your life in Christ is only made full when you are in fellowship with other Christians.

Today, make your Life in Christ a life together.

If you would be interested in a Bible Correspondence Course, email us your name and address at woodlandschurchofchrist@gmail.com and we will mail it to you at no charge. 

One reason people say no to Jesus is because they focus on what they have to give up, rather than on what they will gain. So what will Jesus bring? Here are a few to consider.

So why would anyone say no to hope? This hope “does not disappoint” Paul says (Romans 5:5). It’s based on what God guaranteed the world when His Son died, buried and was raised. The certainty of life beyond the grave verified by the message of the Spirit.

Why would we not want joy? “Exultation in the hope of the glory of God”, Paul says in verse 2, is what we have now – a great joy found in the fellowship of other Christians (Philippians 2:2) and real fellowship with God (1John 1:3).

Why would we not want peace? “Therefore having been justified by faith we have peace with God” (Romans 5:1). Our will yielded to His Amazing Grace and His righteous purpose will bring our lives the fullest blessing and contentment.

Peace. You can have it. Joy. It can be yours. Hope, so certain, is within reach. So this is what we can have because of Jesus. What could there ever be worth keeping to lose all of what Jesus gives?

“Come to Me all you who are weary and heavy laden,” Jesus said, “and I will give you rest.” There is so much more that He will give us than of whatever we think we would ever need from the given up things. He will, be worth it all.

Some days we need a lift. Our hearts heavy and our vision confused.

On those days, we need to lift up our eyes, our heads and voices to what we lift our hearts. In fact, the Bible commands that we do that. Too many downcast disciples are downcast with their eyes down; too many conquered Christians droop their heads; too many silent saints hold their praise and their proclamations. We need a great uplifting!

So when you need a lift, “Fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

Raise your eyes, lift your head and open your voice in praise to Jesus and soon you will find your heart lifted.

BIBLETALK, power for your weekday.