The True Christmas Message: Sin Kills, The Gospel Saves

Revelation 2&8

To Thyatira, from the Son of God who has eyes like a flame of fire and feet like burnished bronze. Because I am the Son of God I search not just with my eyes but also my heart and I find that which is profitable but not that which is beneficial. I commend you for the love you have for others and how faithful you have been to My Church. You work tirelessly for the poor just as I did. Your works now are greater than when you began and for that you are to be commended.

However, I see a glaring sin. In fact, you have lived with this sin for so long that your eyes are clouded to its impact upon your flock. You no longer call sin sin but have bought into the lie of love the sinner and hate the sin and that is true. However, hate demands action and you have not taken that step. Instead, your actions reveal that you have fallen like King Ahab to the ways and mores of Queen Jezebel, an outright idolater. She has taken captive your mind and swayed you to offer sacrifices of my children to the idol god Baal. It would be better to put a millstone about your neck and throw you into the sea than to allow her to lead and teach. I love you and that is why I have been so patient with her and you. But, my patience will come to an end. Her message kills because it denies Me. Be careful lest you be judged along with her by my penetrating eye.

Father, may Your eye reveal to us where we have accepted that which you call an abomination. May we hold fast to the truth that only through the blood shed on the cross can one be saved.

All scripture is taken from the FREE online Bible Study Tool of Bible.org 

 

 

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Christ or Angels? Whom do you worship?

Are you as baffled by those who just cannot accept no when asked? We meet them on FB and we meet them in our neighborhoods. They are diehard followers. You know who they are. They seek proselytes with all of the lies that Satan has fostered.and do not present Christ ALONE!  And that is why the book of Hebrews is so important. The author of Hebrews will present a case for the persevering steadfast believer and why Christ alone is worthy of our adoration.

First and foremost the author reminds his readers that God spoke through the prophets His final and authoritative word which we have as our OT scriptures. BUT, now he has spoken to us in His Son reminding they and us “This is my beloved Son, Listen to Him.”

And why should we listen?

Christ is the heir of all things, the agent who authored creation, the radiance of God’s glory shining forth, He is the clearest duplication of God himself, not in figure, but in attributes, He upheld all things with his power and authority, made purification for our sins as a perfect sacrifice and lastly sat down at the right hand of the Father in the heavenly throne room having said “it is finished.”

Angels are not “the Son” but are “sons.” Christ is not only the Creator but chose to lay aside his divinity and become human as the begotten Son of God. Angels are created beings, ministering spirits and servants of God to render service to those who will inherit salvation. Their purpose is to do God’s will and, like the Holy Spirit,  to glorify the Son, never adding to God’s Word. This reminds us of the warning given in Revelation “If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.” 

Christ is sovereign, angels are servants–even though they are swift as the wind and as strong as a fire, they are NOT the Son.

Praise and honor belong to God the Son alone. He is prophet, priest and king to each believer. Therefore, we are to stand firm in our faith and pick up our cross and follow Him alone.

Piercing the Darkness

Frank Peretti may have written a novel titled “Piercing the Darkness” but in Mark chapter 5 we experience this first hand.

 

 

If there is one thing that Jesus is an expert at it is this: do NOT waste a teachable moment! We would do well to glean from this chapter just how he uses each one to open the eyes of the disciples and us the reader to his power to redeem mankind—whether from demons, a hemorrhaging, or an impending death. And in each instance he provides the backdrop for responses for those who see his power in action or those who experience it firsthand.

 

When Mark wrote he just added one story upon another like a person who seeks to share without taking a breath. So as we read about the fearful storm on the Sea of Galilee in chapter 4 and hear the disciples ask, ““Who then is this? Even the wind and sea obey him!” the modern day reader stops at vs 41, but in reality the answer to that question lies in the beginning of chapter 5 where we meet a man encased by the demons. Where the disciples are left wondering the demons cause the man to bow in reverence and cry out: “Jesus, Son of the Most High God!” Did the disciples thus discern the answer to their question? It is not until later when Jesus asks “who do men say I am” that Peter responds: “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.”

 

The question before us is the same. Who is Jesus to you? The demoniac freed from his prison knows and in humility he desired to follow Jesus much like the blind Bartimaeus would do, but this is not the time. Jesus needs the “man freed from demons” to be left behind for Jesus is not wanted in the region of Gadarenes but the message of who He is needed. He will always be known as the “man freed from demons” and will be the first missionary to carry the “LIGHT” to his pagan land. The swine herders may have not wanted to hear the good news of the kingdom for they “loved the darkness rather than the light, because their deeds were evil.” However, God had a love message that needed to be shared and who better to do it than one through whom the LIGHT pierced the darkness.

 

Today spiritual darkness hangs like a pall over our culture but we have the LIGHT to pierce it. Will we like this man “Go to your home and to your people and tell them what the Lord has done for you, that he had mercy on you”…that you have been redeemed from darkness to be His witness to your family and friends. How are you doing on this task?