Coffee With The Lord

Just thinking today about some “BIG MOMENTOUS EVENTS” in Christianity and the life of the Church…

An angels appearance to a very young lady – a virgin named “Mary” with a very special announcement of the coming “supernatural” birth of our Savior, “Christ Jesus the Lord!”

The crucifixion of Jesus – the “Lamb of God” – who died for our sins and his cry – His declaration from the cross… “It is finished!”

Oh, and that wonderful day after His death and burial, when the women, and then a bit later Peter and John, go to the tomb where Jesus had been buried and heard and saw a wonderful reality… “He is risen!” – The resurrection.

Then there is that special day after the resurrection, when Jesus commissioned His disciples to take the gospel to the entire world, promised to empower them with the Holy Spirit, and while they were watching ascended into heaven, leaving them with the promise that He would one day return!

Pentecost was a powerful day as well – a turning point – the empowerment of the Holy Spirit! “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance!” From that day on the power of the Holy Spirit has been the dynamic that has empowered believers and resulted in the spreading of the Gospel around the world!

All of these (and more) were wonderful days! But there is one more, often overlooked, that has been incredibly significant for us all! It was a part of my Bible reading today…

The day that God “poured out His Spirit” in the home of Cornelius, a Roman centurion, upon Gentiles! God powerfully convinced Peter through a vision that he should “not call any person common or unclean!” So when representatives from Cornelius’s house came, Peter went with them and preached the gospel. “While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word… and they were all amazed because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles! Then Peter declared, ‘Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’” (From Acts 10:44-48 ESV) And they were all baptized.

And it is because of what happened on this day, many of us, who are not Jews, are included in God’s wonderful plan of salvation! In fact, at the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15) Peter spoke up with Holy Spirit inspired words to what happened at the house of Cornelius… “You know that …God made a choice among you, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe. And God, who knows the heart, bore witness to them, by giving them the Holy Spirit just as he did to us, and He made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their heart by faith… We believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will!! (From Acts 15:6-11 ESV)

Wonderful, wonderful events – days of God’s grace and goodness! What a wonderful treat and delight this morning to reflect with gratitude upon each of them!

I’m reminded this morning of the rich variety that makes up the “body of Christ” – the Church!  Mechanics, educators, people with a flair for the artistic, financial gurus, bus drivers, people who are great with children, capable organizers, wordsmiths, technology experts, farmers, hospitality specialists, athletes, studious individuals, visionaries, detail oriented people, systems analysts… the list could go on and on and on…

This is what I read from the Bible this morning that prompted this reflection… “God has given EACH OF YOU a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. USE THEM WELL TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER… then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 4.10-11 NLT)

It takes all of us to adequately represent Jesus Christ in our world without distortion in the power of the Holy Spirit! (1 Corinthians 12)  One of the words used in 1 Peter 4.10-11 to describe the rich variety within the church was also used in ancient culture to describe a beautiful tapestry.  Picture it… when each of us use our gifts for His glory and the common good we become a powerful, accurate, representation of our Lord and Savior to others!  None of us in isolation is sufficient for that task.  Working together in the power of the Holy Spirit we can help our world see what Jesus is really like!

I want to do my part!!  Don’t you?  I need you!!  We can do this with God’s help!!

I’m just an ol’ farm boy so I guess Malachi 4.1-2 really spoke to me this morning during “coffee with the Lord”!

“For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the Sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall.

First of all, these verses teach truth by stark contrast: 1) What God declares will happen to “all the arrogant and evildoers” compared to 2) What he says about those who “fear (or reverence) My (i.e. the Lord’s) name.

Then, there are the images that are used… very graphic and vivid for anyone from a farm background!

1) Anyone who has ever watched a fire lick up dry straw will understand the way God says the wicked will one day be judged… The judgment will be intense and complete!

2) I’ve seen sickly, wilted plants revive almost miraculously in the warmth of the sun! In this passage an assurance is given that God Himself – the Sun of Righteousness – will bring healing and restoration to those who faced the worst “the Enemy” (and those that further his evil agenda) can bring! Praise the Lord!

3) The final image – On that day, those who reverence the Lord will express the joy of their deliverance and freedom like calves that come joyfully out of their stall to leap and frolic in lush green pasture! Now you’d have to have been from the farm to picture that scene… Calves bursting out of an open gate, running and kicking up their heels, twisting, cavorting, and enjoying their freedom! Take my word for it… “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus! One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrows will erase!”

Hey, it pays to come from the farm!! Sometimes just makes the Bible “come alive” and be very real!!