Pastor's Ponderings, July 31, 2017

Have You Considered Jesus?

The singing group, Casting Crowns sang a song called, “Glorious Day”.  Some of the lyrics summarized what Jesus Christ did for the world.

Living, He loved me. Dying, He saved me. Buried, He carried my sins far away. Rising, He justified freely forever. One day He's coming, oh glorious day.

We thank God for His marvelous blessings, His amazing healing, His awesome miracles, His powerful teaching and His inspiring preaching.  However, He could have done all of those great acts in the Bible and we still would have no chance to live in Heaven forever.  We were born in a sinful world and we tend to do what we see our friends, family, and familiar folks do.  Jesus lived, died and was buried, but when He rose He had all power in His hands (Matthew 28:18-19).  We were guilty of sins and had no recourse but eternal damnation. However, when Jesus went to the cross, He paid all of the debt for our sins and forgave us for all that we have done (Colossians 2:13-14).

Those who love the Lord can know that once we pass from this earth, Jesus promised that we would have an eternal home with Him (John 14:2-3).  Because of His death, burial and resurrection we can join that vast number of saints who will be praising Him throughout eternity (Revelation 7:9-10).

As we make our daily decisions on matters great and small to reach our goals and objectives, we have to remember that we must put the most important things first.  Jesus sacrificed His life so that we could have eternal life with Him and avoid damnation. Don’t forget to make the most important decision of your life to follow Jesus.

Matthew 28:18-19
New International Version (NIV)

18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Colossians 2:13-14
New International Version (NIV)

13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,
14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.

John 14:2-3
New International Version (NIV)

2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Revelation 7:9-10

New International Version (NIV)

9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.
10 And they cried out in a loud voice: “Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.