Coffee With The Lord

This morning in my time of “coffee with the Lord” I encountered some VERY BAD NEWS in my Bible reading… (but also some very good news!)…

THE BAD NEWS…

“The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ They are corrupt, doing abominable iniquity; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD.  God looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.  THEY HAVE ALL FALLEN AWAY; TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME CORRUPT; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, NOT EVEN ONE!” (Psalm 53:1–3 ESV)

That’s God’s assessment of the human condition!  It’s troubling, but true!  We are all sinners (even the “best” of us).  Who says so?  God says so!

Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, echoed this assessment of the human condition and indictment in the New Testament… “ALL HAVE SINNED and fall short of the glory of God!” (Romans 3:23 ESV)

But in the very next verse the VERY GOOD NEWS…

All can be “justified [made “right with God”] by His [God’s] grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ, whom God put forward as a propitiation [atoning sacrifice for sin] by His blood, to be received by faith!” (Romans 3:24-25 ESV)

And then the “bad news” and the “good news” in a single verse!

“The wages of sin is death [the “bad news”] but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord [the “good news]!” (Romans 6:23)

Praise God, I’ve responded with faith to the “good news”… Have you?  And I’m going to share the “good news” of what God has done for us through Christ Jesus with everyone I can!!!

Here’s one of those puzzling passages of Scripture… (and when you come across them it is best to take them at face value and just trust God with the details) – Mark 6:1-6

Let me set the scene… Jesus had come back to his “hometown” (Nazareth), where he was raised, where he played with friends, where he learned and plied a trade (carpentry) with His earthly “Dad,” where he studied Scripture in synagogue school.  His reputation as a powerful healer and teacher has gotten around.  It’s Sabbath, and the “home boy” has been invited to teach in the synagogue… big event! 

Wow, His teaching was powerful and profound!  And the stories of His healing power!  Where did He get all of this?  You would have thought He’d be the community celebrity – a hero!

But no… the Bible says, “They took offense at Him!”  They said, “How are such mighty works done by His hands?  Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon?  And are not His sisters here with us?”

Figure that!  And here’s the “kicker” … The powerful, profound teacher – the miracle worker – the Son of God, the Messiah, “Could do no mighty works there, except that he laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them… And He marveled because of their unbelief.”

There it is… Jesus, the Son of God – Messiah – Savior of the world, LIMITED by the unbelief and attitudes of those who heard Him – even those who were His “homefolks.”

I wonder how many times it has happened since then… God’s powerful healing, life-transforming, message and presence among “His people” limited by skepticism and unbelief! 

He must have been terribly disappointed!  But did He allow that to stop Him from ministry?  No!  Never!!

Next passage… “And He went about among the villages teaching.  And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave THEM authority over the unclean spirits! … So THEY WENT OUT and proclaimed that people should repent.  And THEY cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them!” (From Mark 6:6-13 ESV)

So this is what I jotted in the margin of my Bible this morning… “Never allow your disappointment in ministry to hinder the advancement of God’s Kingdom message and ministry!  Instead mobilize others to join you in sharing the Gospel and getting involved in ministry along with you!  Instead of being stifled by disappointments – move past them and enlist others in spreading the Gospel!”  That’s what Jesus did!

This I believe as a Christian… DEATH DOES NOT END IT ALL!!  As a Christian it is not birth > life > death (with a big period at the end).  It is instead birth > life (and somewhere in there NEW BIRTH > more life! Abundant life! > death > ETERNAL LIFE!  Death is NOT the end … it is simply the doorway into an incredible and eternal future with the Lord!!

Thought about all of that as I read these wonderful, inspired words of Apostle Paul telling us about our future and Christ followers (whether we are living or have died) when Jesus returns…

1 Corinthians 15:50–58 (NIV)

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed — in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.  For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality.  When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.  Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Apostle Paul argued that all of that was incredible motivation for the following…

”Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain!”

As a Christian I have a wonderful confidence and hope (beyond the grave… past death)!  I want to live life full – giving myself to the Lord’s will and work!!  I want the sound of my efforts for Jesus to blend with the piercing sound of the “last trumpet”!!