pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: example


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Jesus is Alive!!

The fact that Jesus was born, walked  the earth, and died is not in much dispute.  The method of his death on the cross is also widely accepted.  Even Islam sees Jesus as a great prophet.  But for many, believing that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah, is somewhere they are unwilling to go.  Good man, great teachings, did a few amazing miracles even – but God’s Son, in the flesh?

Without the resurrection, maybe Jesus is just these things.  But for the Christian, the empty tomb is the ‘proves it’ moment.  Because Jesus conquered death and rose to eternal life, the resurrection is our sign that Jesus was indeed God’s Son.  Many in the Bible spoke to and for God.  Many in the Bible performed miraculous signs.  A few were even raised from the dead (although just back to an earthly life).  But Jesus, our Lord and Savior, ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God.

Shortly after His death, Jesus appears to several people.  He comforts his closest followers and friends with the fact that he has conquered death, that the grave could not hold him.  What he said about rising again was true!  It was important for the disciples and others to see Jesus, so that as they write the Gospels and went on to spread and grow the early church, they went forth with an unshakable belief.  As Christians, we believe the witness given by Mary, by the disciples, and by others.  As the Bible unfolds past the Gospels, we see the Spirit of Jesus living on, continuing to change and shape lives.  As is living examples today, we too experience the presence of Jesus’ Holy Spirit working in our lives and in our worlds.  Indeed – Jesus is alive!!


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Into the Fray

The ‘Prince of Peace’ came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, symbolic of a king entering in peace.  The crowd welcomed him with shouts of praise and songs of joy.  But the week ahead was anything but peaceful.  The week ahead caused turmoil and stirred things up in Jerusalem.  Just in case any of the religious leaders missed Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, the next thing he did was head to the temple and he cleared it out.

Although Jesus does bring us peace, once we begin to walk with Him, He also causes a great deal of turmoil in us too.  His Spirit stirs us up and causes us to live and act differently.  We do not see the world and all of its hurts, pains, and injustices the same.  When we begin to see with Jesus’ eyes and to feel with His heart, the turmoil begins.  We cannot see and feel without becoming a part of it.  We are called to step into the fray and become a part of the turmoil.  As much as it can be uncomfortable and unknown, we know that we do not step in alone.  He is there too.

As we head into Holy Week, as we walk alongside Jesus his week, it should cause some turmoil and some clearing out in our lives too.  May we see the example that Jesus sets before us and fearlessly enter into the world He calls us to.


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Blessed by His Glory

In the account of Jesus’ transfiguration we find an obvious example of the revelation of Chirst’s glory.  At other times in the New Testament we see His glory revealed as the lame walk, the deaf hear, the mute speak, the dead live, and as thousands are fed.  We also see His glory as we see Jesus hanging on the cross for you and me and as Stephen prays for those who are stoning him.  As we spend time in the Word, we see these examples and come to better know where, how, and to whom we are being called.

In our daily lives we can see the glory too.  We witness it in the sunrise and in the thunderstorm, in the majestic waterfall and in the beautiful flower.  We see it as God takes away our breath as the newborn baby draws its first breath of life.  We can see so much of God’s glory in the created world around us – if we simply slowdown long enough to seek Him out.

We can also catch a glimpse of the glory in the unexpected.  It can be in something said in a conversation with a friend or a neighbor.  It can be in an encounter with a stranger.  God’s glory can be found in so many little acts of kindness and devotion that we witness each day.  Acts that we can be a part of.  Conversations and encounters that we can enter into.  As we seek to live out our call to be clothed in Him, may we both be blessed and bless others by His glory in us.


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Step Past the Norm

How often in the past week have you felt wronged or hurt? Was it when someone cut you off in traffic? Was it when someone said something careless that actually hit a nerve in you? Was it when a loved one missed an opportunity that you saw was right there? Was it…? And what is the initial reaction or thought? So often we feel angry or feel that we need to ‘make things right’.

We are raised to stand up for ourselves and to do things on our own, to be independent. But in the Sermon on the Mount Jesus calls us to a radical love. He turns the old law of “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth” upside down. Jesus points out that it is not about revenge (which the old law was limiting) or even about evening the score.

Jesus calls us to love our neighbor. Here Jesus is extending it. He advises that when another strikes our right cheek to then offer the left as well. He advises that when someone asks for your coat to give them your sweater as well. He advises that when someone asks you to walk a mile, to go ahead and walk two miles with them. Jesus is calling us to respond with love – and lots of it!!

This all brings me to the question of why? Why respond to these things with such lavish love? Wouldn’t it simply be enough to not strike back, to just give our coat, to just walk alongside someone for the mile? But isn’t that what the world expects? Most won’t even notice if we as Christians just do what we are supposed to do. It is when we go beyond the minimal and step past what others would do, that people begin to see the love of Christ being lived out in our lives. It is then that they take notice and begin to wonder why as well. It is then that we are living as Christ calls us to live.


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Shining for the Lord

Paul was a man who was a religious leader. He was well-versed in the words of the Bible (the Old Testament at the time) and knew every letter of the Law. But whenever Paul shared the Gospel, it wasn’t usually with $100 religious terms or by spelling out a long list of what one must do to come to know Christ. Paul sought the power of the Holy Spirit as his means of delivery of the message. He knew that the people would best see and come to know Christ if they could see the power of God working in and through him.

In our lives we have many ways to share the message. We do not have to have some fantastic conversion story or experience. We don’t have to awe someone with our great knowledge of the Bible or with the great things we have done. We can share our faith through the little decisions we make about how to live out our life daily. We can share the message in the way we interact with and care for our neighbors, co-workers, and friends. Christ can shine in all we do.

We can also share our faith by our actions and commitments. This can be but does not have to be some grand thing either. It can be. It may be serving on a committee or team at church. It may be in donating time to an agency that helps the needy. It may be in visiting people at the jail or the hospital. In all we do, the love of Christ should shine through!!

The world is always watching. Be encouraged by this. Be honored by this. In all ways this day, may the love of Christ shine through you like the sun!!