PHILIP HAD TO TELL NATHANAEL

“The next day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. Finding Philip, Jesus said to him, ‘Follow Me.’ Philip, like Andrew and Peter, was from the town of Bethsaida. Philip found Nathanael and told him, ‘We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote -- Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.’ ‘Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?’ Nathanael asked. ‘Come and see,’ said Philip.”  (John 1:43-46 NIV)

Philip not only had a seeking heart, but he also had the heart of a personal evangelist. His first response upon meeting Jesus was to find his friend Nathanael and tell him about the Messiah.

I am convinced… that friendships provide the most fertile soil for evangelism. When the reality of Christ is introduced into a relationship of love and trust that has already been established, the effect is powerful. And it seems that invariably, when someone becomes a true follower of Christ, that person’s first impulse is to want to find a friend and introduce that friend to Christ. That dynamic is seen in Philip’s spontaneous instinct to go find Nathanael and tell him about the Messiah.

The language Philip used betrayed his amazement at discovering who the Messiah was. The One whom Moses wrote, and the One foretold by the prophets, was none other than “Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph,” a lowly carpenter’s son.

Nathanael was at first nonplused. “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?”…

But Philip was undaunted: “Come and see.” The ease which Philip believed is remarkable. In human terms, no one had brought Philip to Jesus. He was like Simeon, “waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him” (Luke 2:25). Philip knew the Old Testament promises. He was ready. He was expectant. His heart was prepared. And He received Jesus gladly, unhesitatingly, as Messiah. No reluctance. No disbelief. It mattered not to him what kind of one-horse town the Messiah had grown up in. He knew instantly that he had come to the end of his search. 

-- John MacArthur (1939-2025) in “Twelve Ordinary Men: How the Master Shaped His Disciples for Greatness and What He Wants to Do with You” 

#6234

SUPPORT THROUGH SMALL GROUPS

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”  (Galatians 6:2)

It’s amazing to me that some people think the small group movement is a new thing. Small groups are as old as the Bible, and they are so essential. Jesus knew how important it is to have our family and our friends helping us, surrounding us with love, supporting us, encouraging us, setting us free in every moment, but especially in those dramatic moments when we are trying to make a new start with our lives.

Recently a man stopped by to see me. A little over a year ago, he went through a great personal tragedy. He is coming through it with the help of God and with the help of the church, especially his adult Sunday school class. He said, “I was devastated. I was disillusioned and defeated and saw no hope for the future and no relief for my pain. I was so hurt that I was immobilized. All the life was drained out of me, but God brought me back to life… and this church has been there for me every step of the way. My Sunday school class has been so incredible. I don’t know what I would have done without them. I couldn’t have made it without them.”

You know what he was saying, don’t you? He was saying, “God brought me out of the tomb, and my friends in my small group helped me, and supported me… and together, by the grace of God, they loved me back to life.” 

-- James W. Moore and Bob J. Moore in “Lord, Give Me Patience!... And Give It to Me Right Now!” 

#6233

FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS

"And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?"  (Esther 4:14 NIV)

This past weekend my wife and I attended the retirement celebration for a former colleague and friend at the church I served for 25 years. In very specific ways, she told of her calling in regard to the many roles she has served there for the last eight years. I mentioned that God had called her “for such a time as this… and this… and this… and this.”

In moments of uncertainty, when fear or doubt whispers louder than faith, the biblical story of Esther reminds us that divine purpose often hides within ordinary circumstances. Her courage wasn’t born from confidence in herself -- it was rooted in the possibility that God had placed her exactly where she needed to be. “For such a time as this” isn’t just a phrase -- it’s a call to awaken to the sacred opportunities tucked inside our daily lives. Whether we stand in palaces or pews, boardrooms or kitchens, sports arenas or schools God invites us to respond with boldness, trusting that our presence, our voice, and our obedience may be the very answer to someone’s prayer.

My colleague’s presence, her voice and her obedience were the answer to many people’s prayers, mine included. Thanks for responding to your call, Lina. 

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson, SOUND BITES Ministry™ 

#6232

YES AND NO

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:13-14 NIV)

Terror seized me by the throat a few months into my engagement to be married. Ardor turned to horror. Hot pursuit suddenly got cold feet. This came with a fundamental realization: If I had this woman, I couldn't have any of the others. If I said "yes" to one, I was saying "no" to millions. Not that this was the breadth of my options, mind you -- but whatever options I might have had before I said my vows, they were no more after I said them…

Every yes contains a no. And if you can't learn to say one, you won't learn to say the other. It certainly describes the way Christians and churches can drift into heresy and confusion…

Learning to say the yes and the no: Few issues portend so much for the future of the church, because none carries so much potential to fly in the face of the spirit of the age… It's the "Who's to Say?" syndrome: Who's to say what is right? The answer, it seems, is everyone, or no one, or both. Whatever. It's cool.

Faithful stewards of the household of God must practice the discipline of saying both yes and no. It's hard, it's not fun, and it doesn't usually preach to packed houses. But believers in every age have had to learn it or lose the faith…

Saying no is part of the nature of our faith… Its narrowness is the narrowness of the birth canal, or of a path between two precipices -- or of a lifetime spent loving one woman. 

-- Excerpted from Ben Patterson in LeadershipJournal.net

#6231

SHARING THE GOOD NEWS

“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.’” (Isaiah 52:7 ESV)

Why all of this emphasis upon evangelism?  Because evangelism is "Job One" for the church.  Do you remember those old Ford commercials which claimed "Quality is Job One"?  I believe we can modify that motto to say "Evangelism is Job One" for the church.  The church exists for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ... The church is one of the few institutions which exists not for itself, but for the world.  Yes, of course, we must share the Good News with those inside the church who need to hear the Gospel, respond, and grow in faith.  But too often we have stopped there.  We have focused only upon ourselves, our comfort, and our institution, rather than focusing upon reaching the world for Christ.

Evangelism is not about saving the church.  Evangelism is not about institutional survival.  Evangelism is about being faithful to the call of Christ.  We are called to change lives and to transform the world, and in the process we will discover the church itself becoming more vital and alive.

Yes, indeed, I am ready to say "Evangelism is Job One."  How about you? 

-- Bishop Michael J. Coyner, (1949-2020)

#6230

 

 

JESUS IS THE GOOD NEWS

“After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. ‘The time has come,’ He said. ‘The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!’”  (Mark 1:14–15 NIV)

From the very beginning of His public ministry, Jesus didn’t merely announce the Gospel -- He embodied it. The “good news of God” wasn’t a distant promise or a future hope. It was standing in Galilee, speaking with authority, healing the broken, and calling hearts to repentance. Jesus is not just the messenger; He is the message.

When Jesus said, “The time has come,” He was declaring that the long-awaited fulfillment of God’s redemptive plan had arrived -- not in a scroll, not in a temple ritual, but in a person -- in Him. The kingdom of God was no longer a concept -- it was present, active, and accessible through the Lord of the Kingdom Himself.

Bishop Kenneth L. Carder wrote, “The Gospel is a person, not an abstract argument. That person, Jesus Christ, confronts our sin and suffering by entering our guilt and pain and death. He extends an outstretched, pierced hand of forgiveness and love.”

To “repent and believe the good news” is to turn from self and sin, and to turn toward Jesus. It’s not just believing a set of doctrines -- it’s trusting a Savior and Lord. The Gospel is not merely about what Jesus did; it’s about who Jesus is. His life, death, and resurrection are the heartbeat of the Gospel; His presence is its pulse. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™, compiled from a variety of sources 

#6229

A LEADERSHIP IMPASSE

“I have also sent to you all My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them, saying, ‘Turn now everyone from his evil way, amend your doings, and do not go after other gods to serve them; then you will dwell in the land which I have given you and your fathers.’ But you have not inclined your ear, nor obeyed Me.”  (Jeremiah 35:15 NKJV)

There are numerous definitions of sin that have, at best, a partial basis in Scripture. A church that has an incomplete understanding of sin won’t understand sin to be a leadership or kingdom issue. Without the prophets’ perspective on sin as intentional rebellion and disobedience [to God’s leadership], the kingdom message of Jesus doesn’t make sense. And without the kingdom message, repentance doesn’t make sense.

This is where the leadership issue is so clearly visible. If there is something in my life that I feel I must maintain control over, I won’t give the helm of my heart to God. Take, for example, the person who refuses to forgive. Jesus knew that this kind of leadership impasse holds many outside His kingdom. He specifically said, “For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins“ (Matthew 6:14-15). Refusing to trust God with justice and judgment means that I think I can do a better job of it than He can. 

-- Jan David Hettinga in “Follow Me: Experience the Loving Leadership of Jesus”

#6228

AN INVITATION

"How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!" (Romans 10:15 NIV)

One weekend when I wasn’t preaching, one of our campus pastors -- a young, bald-headed guy with a goatee -- spoke in my place. The next week, I was at a store when I heard a lady inviting a friend to church. Curious, I crept a little closer to eavesdrop on their conversation. The first lady said, “I’m not a religious person or anything, but you have to try this church called Life Church. It’s incredible. It totally changed my life.” I was blessed to overhear a conversation of someone who’d been touched by God at the church I pastor.

Unfortunately, the lady must have noticed me listening in. She looked at me and said, “Hey you, you need to come to church with me, too. The preacher is amazing.” Still excited but slightly confused, I asked her what the preacher looked like, confident she’d recognize me at any moment. Still talking fast, she said, “He’s bald and has a goatee.” This lady, who had been to our church only one time, was inviting everyone she saw -- even me -- the pastor of the church.

You can do the same thing. Take a step of faith and invite someone to go with you where they will hear God’s love through Christ. 

-- Craig Groeschel in “The Christian Atheist: Believing in God but Living as If He Doesn’t Exist” 

EDITOR’S NOTE: In addition to inviting someone to church to hear the good news, share SOUND BITES with them. Forward a quote that might be particularly meaningful to them and invite them to subscribe. Don’t keep the good news to yourself. – DW

#6227

THE PERSPECTIVE OF YEARS

“Three days after arriving in the province, Festus went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem, where the chief priests and the Jewish leaders appeared before him and presented the charges against Paul. They requested Festus, as a favor to them, to have Paul transferred to Jerusalem, for they were preparing an ambush to kill him along the way. Festus answered, ‘Paul is being held at Caesarea, and I myself am going there soon. Let some of your leaders come with me, and if the man has done anything wrong, they can press charges against him there.’”  (Acts 25:1–5 NIV)

This thing going on with Paul and the Jews and the Roman court system would have hardly been a blip on the radar screen of anyone. We must discard any assumption we have that this story was somehow newsworthy. Looking back from the twenty-first century, the whole thing unfolds before us as a stunning God-sized story of cosmic proportions. At the time, who even knew it was happening, and of those who knew, who really cared?

Looking back, the only reason we even know the names of Felix and Festus and half a dozen other bit players of history is Paul -- that's why we know them. History has its way, doesn't it? That's how history happens. It often takes the perspective of years to see what really mattered and what didn't. At the time it's impossible to know.

Remember that when you think about what you are doing today with your life. In the present, it can seem oh so small and insignificant. I think that's what Jesus was trying to get across [in Matthew 13:31-32] when He talked to us about the mustard seed becoming the largest tree in the garden. Be encouraged, Christian! Don't give up! Give yourself to what may seem small today. It's worth it. It matters. You matter. Press on. Invest your resources in what many may consider a kingdom of God longshot. Every big story was once a very small story. It's why I spend so much time talking about seeds. The whole story is in the single seed.

C. T. Studd put it well in the refrain from his famous poem, "Only one life, twill soon be past, only what's done for Christ will last." 

-- Excerpted from “Wake-Up Call” with J. D. Walt 

#6226

OUR SOLID ROCK FOUNDATION

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”  (Psalm 18:2)

          On Christ, the solid Rock I stand,
          All other ground is sinking sand.  – William Bradbury

If you have ever stood on a sandy beach as the waves lapped at your feet, you know that the longer you remain, the further your feet sink into the shifting sands. Eventually, you’ll be up to your ankles! On a rocky coastline, however, you can stand on the shore with wave after wave rushing over your feet and you won’t sink at all. You stand firm on the strength of the boulders beneath you.

Shifting sands don’t make a very good foundation – for our feet or for our faith. We need solid rock – strong and unchanging. Like the wise man who built his house upon a rock (Luke 6:48), we can rest secure in building our faith upon the firm foundation of Jesus Christ. When the winds of change blow and the waves of uncertainty rush over us, we can cling to the immovable, unchanging love of Jesus.

For this we have reason to praise. Christ is the solid rock on which we stand. We can depend upon HIs words, trust in His tender mercies, and praise Him day after day for the grace that has saved us. In Christ our foundation is firm; our salvation is sure. Praise His name! 

-- Adapted from “Change My Heart, Oh God: Daily Devotions from the Greatest Praise and Worship Songs of All Time”

#6225

AN ASSET ON OUR JOURNEY

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”  (Psalm 119:105 NIV)

In the nineteenth century, mail delivery in parts of the western United States was done by riders on horseback.  This service was called the Pony Express.  They went to great lengths to reduce the weight their horses had to carry and thereby increase the speed of the mail delivery.  They streamlined the saddles, enlisted teenagers of small stature as carriers, and disallowed rifles - all to cut every ounce of weight possible.

Yet each rider carried a Bible, even though the Bible and a rifle were not much different in weight.  Apparently, the personnel of Pony Express believed the Bible was more valuable than a rifle.  Even though they knew excess baggage was detrimental, they realized the importance of having the Bible with them.

As we make the Christian journey, we may find baggage filling our life.  But allotting room for God's Word during our journey is essential.  If we make no room for the Scripture in our day, we are carrying too much.

God's Word is not a weight but an asset on our journey. 

-- Kenny A. Noble, submitted by a subscriber in Wisconsin

#6224

BLOCKING AND TACKLING

EDITOR’S NOTE: I recently heard from a subscriber who wrote, “After 20 years of subscribing to SOUND BITES, I continue to be fed. Thank you for your dedication to this ministry!” That, and the fact that we are in the midst of the football season, reminded me of this quote from a former pastor and colleague of mine that I have shared before -- the importance of sticking to the basics and doing them daily.  – DW

BLOCKING AND TACKLING

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”  (Acts 2:42 NIV)

If you and I want [our lives] to be marked by a very real newness within, we would do well to review some of the ancient practices which good people have found to be helpful over the centuries.  I pastored in Green Bay, Wisconsin during part of the period that Vince Lombardi was coaching the Packers to football immortality.  Mr. Lombardi was often asked about trick plays and the secrets of coaching; he always answered that it was simply a matter of blocking and tackling.  There were no new, clever ideas that really mattered unless one mastered the fundamentals of the game.

I've concluded that the same thing is true of the spiritual life.  Books, retreats, and religious conferences are constantly promising us some new formula for spiritual vitality.  Some of them may stimulate us for a time.  But in the end, we'll need to come back to "blocking and tackling" -- such basic matters as Bible reading, prayer, group worship and sharing, and good devotional reading. 

-- J. Ellsworth Kalas (1923-2015) in “Reading the Signs”  

#6223

DOUBT VERSUS UNBELIEF

“See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God.”  (Hebrews 3:12 NIV)

The Greek words for doubt carry the idea of uncertainty. They have the connotation of being unsettled, of lacking a firm conviction. Doubt is not the opposite of faith but the opportunity of faith -- the growing pains of an eager, seeking spirit. The true enemy of faith is unbelief, but doubt is a necessary leg of the journey of faith. It stands at the edge of past understandings and stretches painfully for new frontiers. To doubt, then, is to be human…

Most of us need to reinstate that word doubt as a friend, not an enemy. But there’s another word we need to examine: unbelief. We might say that doubt asks questions; unbelief refuses to hear answers. The former is hard miles on a good journey; the latter is the dead end, a refusal to travel any farther…

Christian writer Mark Littleton found a simple formula [for dealing with doubt]. It goes this way: “Turn your doubts to questions. Turn your questions to prayers. Turn your prayers to God.” 

-- David Jeremiah in “Keep the Faith: How to Stand Strong in a World Turned Upside Down” 

#6222

 

PRODUCING FRUIT

Jesus said, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in Me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful… Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.”  (John 15:1-5 NIV)

Two ways of staying connected to Christ involve (1) removing what is unnecessary in our lives, and (2) staying focused on the vine.

On one side we have the vine, our life source. On the other side we have fruit. Our effectiveness is determined by which one we focus on, and in our world it’s hard not to focus on the fruit. So much of our worth is measured by what we produce. …

We also measure ourselves by comparing our fruit to what others produce. We can feel fine until we look around. Focusing on the success, achievements, and appearance of others can undo us.

We can obsess over fruit. We start to believe that the fruit is up to us. But Jesus says that it’s not. … Our job is to be a branch and let God’s power flow through us. … We begin to think we are the vine and are our own source of strength. We have to ask ourselves, “Do I receive my identity from the things I produce or from the One who produces through me?” 

-- Rob Fuquay in “The God We Can Know: Exploring the ‘I Am’ Sayings of Jesus”

#6221

A CRESCENDO OF PRAISE

"Praise the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary; praise Him in His mighty heavens. Praise Him for His acts of power; praise Him for His surpassing greatness. Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise Him with the harp and lyre, praise Him with timbrel and dancing, praise Him with the strings and pipe, praise Him with the clash of cymbals, praise Him with resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord."  (Psalm 150 NIV)

Psalm 150 doesn’t whisper… it shouts. It’s the final note in the Psalter’s symphony, a call to worship that echoes through every corner of creation. There’s no mention of struggle, lament, or petition here -- just pure, unfiltered praise.

The psalmist invites us to praise God everywhere (“in His sanctuary… in His mighty heavens”), for everything (“His acts of power… His surpassing greatness”), and with everything (“trumpet… harp… dancing… cymbals”). It’s a full-bodied celebration of who God is and what He’s done.

But this isn’t just about instruments -- it’s about intention. Whether you’re a musician, a writer, a teacher, or a parent, your life can be an instrument of praise. The question isn’t whether you have breath -- it’s what you’re doing with it.

Praise isn’t confined to Sunday mornings. Let your daily routines become sacred rhythms of worship. Use your gifts -- writing, photography, design, music -- to reflect God’s glory. Every medium can become a melody of praise. Are you using your breath to complain, criticize, or compare,… or to praise, encourage, and uplift? Let everything that has breath praise the Lord -- everyone, every way, everywhere, every breath. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™, compiled from a variety of sources

#6220

THE GOSPEL OF FORGIVENESS – Part 3 of 3

“I will make a new covenant with My people Israel. I will write My law on their hearts. They will all know Me from the least to the greatest. And I will forgive their iniquity. And I will remember their sin no more.”  (Jeremiah 31:31-34)

The choice is yours. You can continue to carry the burden of your sins, or you can allow the Lord to take it from you and set you free, as He wants to do.

Some of you live in grace, not really struggling with past sins. You have given them to God and don’t think about them. You may just need to say, “Lord, for the things I did this past week that took me from the path, and for ways I failed to do what you wanted me to do, please forgive me.” Then simply trust in His grace.

But others of you are carrying heavy burdens from the past. God knows them. Christ has already suffered for them. He stands there, longing to take you into His arms. He’s saying to you, “Please let them go. Please give them to Me.”…

Know that you can come away from the encounter with joy in your heart and a spring in your step – loved, forgiven, and free. And then, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

After all, that is the good news of the Christian gospel of forgiveness.

-- Adapted from “Forgiveness: Finding Peace Through Letting Go” by Adam Hamilton

#6219

THE GOSPEL OF FORGIVENESS – Part 2 of 3

“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love… He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His steadfast love toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far He removes our transgressions from us.”  (Psalm 103:8-12)

This is the extravagant grace that is God’s heart and character. It is something we know in our heads, and yet we often struggle to accept in our hearts. We sometimes fail to understand and experience God’s grace, which is offered freely to us, continuing to carry burdens of separation or guilt that God has already removed…

Some time ago, I saw a man outside of church and said, “I haven’t’ seen you for a while. Where have you been?” “I am having a hard time coming back to church,” he said. “I did something I’m really ashamed of, and I just… I just feel like I can’t come back.” “Don’t you understand?” I said. “That’s where you need to be. The church is for sinners!” 

-- Adapted from “Forgiveness: Finding Peace Through Letting Go” by Adam Hamilton

#6218

THE GOSPEL OF FORGIVENESS – Part 1 of 3

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”  (John 3:17)

More than any other world religion, Christianity teaches, preaches, veritably shouts forgiveness. Yes, some of our preachers dwell too long on guilt, and consequently many see Christianity as primarily a religion of guilt. That is unfortunate, for a Christianity obsessed with guilt is no Christianity. Christianity is a faith whose central focus is not guilt and condemnation, but grace, redemption, healing, forgiveness, and mercy.

But the process of forgiveness begins with our awareness and understanding of sin, for if we are not aware of our sin, we go on living self-absorbed lives while hurting others. So the purpose of preaching and learning about sin is to open the door to healing…

God wants to relieve us of the burden that comes with a life of sin, and to set our feet back on the right path. That is precisely why Jesus came. His life and ministry are defined by forgiveness. It was a mission laid out for Him before He was born. He was still in the womb when the angel spoke to Joseph and said, “Do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:20-21)…

Jesus did as He taught. He forgave the tax collectors, prostitutes, and adulterers. At the Last Supper, He took the wine and said to His disciples, “Drink this cup, for it is My blood of the new covenant poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.” In this He offered Himself as an amends -- an atoning sacrifice -- for the sins of the world. Later, as He hung on the cross, Jesus demonstrated the ultimate in forgiveness, praying for those who were putting Him to death.

-- Adapted from “Forgiveness: Finding Peace Through Letting Go” by Adam Hamilton

#6217

FOLLOWING JESUS

Jesus said to His disciples, “Whoever wants to be My disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow Me.”  (Matthew 16:24 NIV)

If we really want to be Christ-followers we need to care about what Jesus cares about, embrace who Jesus embraces, let our hearts be broken by what breaks the heart of Jesus, teach what Jesus commands, become advocates for what Jesus advocates, and follow Christ wherever He leads -- whether across the street or around the world. 

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson, SOUND BITES Ministry™ 

#6216

THE WAY OF THE CROSS

“And Jesus said to all, ‘If anyone would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.’”  (Luke 9:23-24 ESV)

The denying ourselves, and taking up our cross, in the full extent of the expression, is not a thing of small concern. It is not expedient only, as are some of the circumstantials of religion, but it is absolutely, indispensably necessary, either to our becoming or continuing Christ’s disciples… If we do not continually deny ourselves, we do not learn of Him, but of other masters. If we do not take our cross daily, we do not come after Him, but after the world, or the prince of the world, or our own fleshly mind. If we are not walking in the way of the cross, we are not following Him. We are not treading in His steps, but going back from, or at least wide of, Christ. 

-- From “The Works of John Wesley, Sermon XLVIII, On Self Denial” by Albert C. Outler

#6215

THE HANDS OF CHRIST

“So the other disciples told Thomas, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in His hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into His side, I will never believe.’ Eight days later, the disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then He said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’”  (John 20:25-27 ESV)

These hands fed the multitude but gave them more than bread.  These hands healed the sick, but gave them more than health.  These hands touched the sinner, but gave him more than encouragement.  These hands expressed the pity of God, as well as the suffering of the Son of man.  He who began to identify Himself with us in baptism, identifies Himself with us in our sorrows and makes us whole.

These hands began no economic reform, initiated no political action, started no social transformation.  These hands were given over to His enemies, laid on a cross, pierced by nails, torn in agony, hurt for a wearisome world.  Even the resurrected Jesus bears the nail prints in His hands for all to see. 

-- H. S. Vigeveno in “Jesus the Revolutionary”  [1966]

#6214

TO WHOM DO WE GRAVITATE?

“And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, ‘Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ But when He heard it, Jesus said, ‘Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.” For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.’”  (Matthew 9:10-13 ESV)

It occurs to me that one way to test the authenticity of our faith is to ask ourselves to whom do we gravitate as we make our way through life: to the power brokers, the shakers and movers, the beautiful people who make us feel so much better about ourselves?  Or do we move toward those who have nothing going for them in this world, and who can do nothing for us?  Are we willing to befriend and listen to those awkward people others avoid?  Can we love them when love seems useless, when we cannot help them?  Can we care about them though they never return our affection?  Can we do this in faithful obedience to God, even though no one sees or knows but He?

We can when we remember that God is the Father of the downtrodden and disenfranchised, and that includes us.  We too have nothing but our wretchedness to bring to God.  Only when we remember His sympathy for us can we speak or act in sympathy for others.  Then we have a faith that emulates Christ. 

-- Adapted from “Growing Slowly Wise” by David Roper

#6213

A NEW PERSPECTIVE

I do not believe we can always properly label the moments that come to us.

Last spring one of my closest friends had a very serious heart attack. For a while it really didn’t look like he would make it. But he grew better and was finally strong enough for the surgery which is supposed to give him a new lease on life. I was with him in the fall and he was still talking about the experience.

“How did you like your heart attack?” I asked. “It scared me to death, almost,” he replied.

“Would you like to do it again?”  “No!”

“Would you recommend it?”  “Definitely not.”

“Does your life mean more to you than it did before?”  “Well, yes.”

“You and your wife have always had a beautiful marriage, but are you closer than ever?”  “Yes.”

“How about that new granddaughter?”  “Yes. Did I show you her picture?”

“Do you have a new compassion for people -- a deeper understanding and sympathy?”  “Yes.”

“Do you know the Lord in a richer, deeper fellowship than you had ever realized could be possible?”  “Yes.”

“How’d you like your heart attack?”  Silence was his answer. 

-- Adapted from “Something’s Going on Here” by Bob Benson

#6212