“’But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay. Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you.’” Acts 13:37-38.
The decay of sin and death did not overcome Jesus when he was in the grave. Instead, God raised Jesus up to life once again, overcoming the effects of sin and death and becoming the channel for the forgiveness of all sins. This is the message Paul delivered to the people of Pisidian Antioch. Jesus, the sinless Son of God, made a clear path to God for all people to come to be forgiven of all their sins and to be made clean. And this path was established by Jesus taking death and sin to the grave with Him and being raised to new life, giving Him victory over death and sin, once and for all time. The sting of death was broken and freedom from sin was now possible.
Yet, at times in my life, I sense the polluting and decaying effect of sin. Most of the time it is a slow process; so slow that it is hardly recognizable. It’s like death on the installment plan. Yet it is still there, and, as I grow older, I am more keenly aware of how this pollution and decay have adversely affected me. Even though the war with sin and death has been won through Jesus, I am still in a daily struggle to walk in God’s freedom from sin’s effects. I am so grateful to know that through Jesus I have a path to receive forgiveness for all my sins.
Questions to consider: How has Jesus’ resurrection affected your daily life? How are you aware of God’s forgiveness in your life? What are you doing to walk in God’s freedom? How are you helping others to find that freedom, as well?
Prayer: Father, help me to not take Your forgiveness for granted. Help me to remember the ultimate price that Jesus paid to make this a reality. Amen.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
May 20, 2010 - Acts 13:30-31
"'But God raised Him from the dead, and for many days He was seen by those who had traveled with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.'" Acts 13:30-31.
In Pisidian Antioch, which is in modern day Turkey, Paul was invited to speak at the local synagogue. He told the story of Jesus, culminating with eyewitness accounts of people who saw Jesus after God raised Him from the grave. To Paul, Jesus' resurrection from the dead was the exclamation point of the proof that Jesus was the Chosen One, the Messiah, the Son of God. In one of his letters, Paul stresses the importance of Jesus' resurrection, saying, "if Christ (Jesus) has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins." (1 Corinthians 15:17) According to Paul, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is of central importance to our faith.
As I ponder the importance of this central element to Paul's message, I am struck by the power of the message and the hope that is conveyed through it. There is something within me that takes notice and says a resounding, "YES!" to this good news. Sometimes when things are going roughly, if I remember to ponder this, I am encouraged with the hope of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It is a comfort and strength to me.
Questions to consider: What does Jesus' resurrection from the dead mean to you? How are you encouraged or strengthened by it? How central or important is it in the story you tell of the life of Jesus?
Prayer: Father, thank You that You did not leave Jesus in the tomb, but instead You raised Him up to new life. Thank You for the hope this gives me as I journey through rough times. Amen.
In Pisidian Antioch, which is in modern day Turkey, Paul was invited to speak at the local synagogue. He told the story of Jesus, culminating with eyewitness accounts of people who saw Jesus after God raised Him from the grave. To Paul, Jesus' resurrection from the dead was the exclamation point of the proof that Jesus was the Chosen One, the Messiah, the Son of God. In one of his letters, Paul stresses the importance of Jesus' resurrection, saying, "if Christ (Jesus) has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins." (1 Corinthians 15:17) According to Paul, the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is of central importance to our faith.
As I ponder the importance of this central element to Paul's message, I am struck by the power of the message and the hope that is conveyed through it. There is something within me that takes notice and says a resounding, "YES!" to this good news. Sometimes when things are going roughly, if I remember to ponder this, I am encouraged with the hope of the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. It is a comfort and strength to me.
Questions to consider: What does Jesus' resurrection from the dead mean to you? How are you encouraged or strengthened by it? How central or important is it in the story you tell of the life of Jesus?
Prayer: Father, thank You that You did not leave Jesus in the tomb, but instead You raised Him up to new life. Thank You for the hope this gives me as I journey through rough times. Amen.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
May 13, 2010 - Acts 13:16
“Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: ‘Men of Israel and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me!’” Acts 13:16.
As was their habit, Paul and his other traveling companions went to the synagogue to meet with the local Jews and any other God-fearing people. They always made it their habit to go first to the local synagogue upon arriving in a new location. Paul felt that it was important for him to bring the message of Jesus to his people, the Jews, before taking it to the Gentiles, even though he knew his calling was to go to the Gentiles. He was often met with opposition and hostility, yet he continued to honor his commitment to his people.
Paul had the privilege of sharing the message of Jesus with his people, yet, because of the radical nature of his message, it was difficult for most of his listeners to connect with what he had to say. Most of the people in his audience were not particularly open to this radically different message.
There have been times when I have perceived that my listeners were not very open to hearing the message that I believed God would have me share, yet I shared that message anyway. There have been other times when I backed away from sharing the full message for fear of being rejected by my audience. Paul actions in standing up and saying, “Listen to me!” demonstrate for me his ‘sold-out’ heart to the life and message of Jesus.
Questions to consider: How radical is the message of Jesus to you? What kind of reception do you receive when bringing the message of Jesus to those around you?
Prayer: Father, my desire is to do Your will and to seek to please You in all that I do. Give me wisdom in telling the message of Jesus and the boldness to proclaim what You would have me say. Amen.
As was their habit, Paul and his other traveling companions went to the synagogue to meet with the local Jews and any other God-fearing people. They always made it their habit to go first to the local synagogue upon arriving in a new location. Paul felt that it was important for him to bring the message of Jesus to his people, the Jews, before taking it to the Gentiles, even though he knew his calling was to go to the Gentiles. He was often met with opposition and hostility, yet he continued to honor his commitment to his people.
Paul had the privilege of sharing the message of Jesus with his people, yet, because of the radical nature of his message, it was difficult for most of his listeners to connect with what he had to say. Most of the people in his audience were not particularly open to this radically different message.
There have been times when I have perceived that my listeners were not very open to hearing the message that I believed God would have me share, yet I shared that message anyway. There have been other times when I backed away from sharing the full message for fear of being rejected by my audience. Paul actions in standing up and saying, “Listen to me!” demonstrate for me his ‘sold-out’ heart to the life and message of Jesus.
Questions to consider: How radical is the message of Jesus to you? What kind of reception do you receive when bringing the message of Jesus to those around you?
Prayer: Father, my desire is to do Your will and to seek to please You in all that I do. Give me wisdom in telling the message of Jesus and the boldness to proclaim what You would have me say. Amen.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
May 6, 2010 - Esther 4:14b
“’And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?’” Esther 4:14b.
Esther, a beautiful, young Jewish woman, was selected by King Xerxes of Persia to be his next Queen. Meanwhile, Mordecai, Esther’s uncle, who was an honest man, came under the bad graces of King Xerxes' right hand man, Haman. Haman, out of his rage toward Mordecai, managed t0 manipulate Xerxes into signing an edict that called for the annihilation of all the Jews throughout the kingdom. Mordecai sent word to Esther that she would not be immune to the edict, but she could appeal to the king on behalf of all the Jewish people. He told her that, perhaps, she had come to this "royal position for such a time as this." Under the threat of death Esther approached the king to make her appeal. As it turned out, Xerxes was pleased to have her in his presence, and she humbly appealed to him, and was granted her petition. For such a time as that moment, Esther stepped forward, under the threat of death, to appeal for the rights of her people.
This scene, and especially this phrase, so clearly depicts a call to leadership in critical moments, and these moments demand a decisive and active response. We can choose to ignore, over analyze, or even run away, or we can decisively face these moments. It doesn't matter what position in life we hold, whether a "royal position" or not – we must make a decision on how we will respond in those critical times. In my past, I would waffle and be indecisive. The account of Esther, and particularly this phrase, has strengthened me to face tough moments in my life, head on.
Questions to consider: How do you respond to those critical, tough moments in your life? How does Esther's story challenge or encourage you? Are you in a "such-a-time-as-this" moment?
Prayer: Father, thank You for being with me and for guiding me in such times as these. Give me clarity and courage with which to face them. Amen.
Esther, a beautiful, young Jewish woman, was selected by King Xerxes of Persia to be his next Queen. Meanwhile, Mordecai, Esther’s uncle, who was an honest man, came under the bad graces of King Xerxes' right hand man, Haman. Haman, out of his rage toward Mordecai, managed t0 manipulate Xerxes into signing an edict that called for the annihilation of all the Jews throughout the kingdom. Mordecai sent word to Esther that she would not be immune to the edict, but she could appeal to the king on behalf of all the Jewish people. He told her that, perhaps, she had come to this "royal position for such a time as this." Under the threat of death Esther approached the king to make her appeal. As it turned out, Xerxes was pleased to have her in his presence, and she humbly appealed to him, and was granted her petition. For such a time as that moment, Esther stepped forward, under the threat of death, to appeal for the rights of her people.
This scene, and especially this phrase, so clearly depicts a call to leadership in critical moments, and these moments demand a decisive and active response. We can choose to ignore, over analyze, or even run away, or we can decisively face these moments. It doesn't matter what position in life we hold, whether a "royal position" or not – we must make a decision on how we will respond in those critical times. In my past, I would waffle and be indecisive. The account of Esther, and particularly this phrase, has strengthened me to face tough moments in my life, head on.
Questions to consider: How do you respond to those critical, tough moments in your life? How does Esther's story challenge or encourage you? Are you in a "such-a-time-as-this" moment?
Prayer: Father, thank You for being with me and for guiding me in such times as these. Give me clarity and courage with which to face them. Amen.
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