THE NARROW DOOR
Greetings in the name of Jesus:
There are many parables which give warning of our need to deal with the second coming of Christ even before His death on the cross. These are not prophecies from Christ but genuine warnings to take action on our relationship opportunity with God before it is too late. Luke 13:24-30 is such a parable as it begins to warn us that it isn't easy to enter into the Kingdom; in fact there is a price to be paid. Jesus paid the price for our freedom from the power of sin to cause death and complete separation from God for all time; which was the enemies plan. The death and sacrifice of Jesus on the cross opened that door once again so that we might be able to seek after God's own heart just as Adam could. Jesus did not die to take all sin away from us ( that is a largely miss-understood statement) because we still have sin today probably more so than ever before in this world, but the power of sin to kill has been broken because we now have the mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord who can forgive sin. More than ever we are being shown God's heart to love and forgive us in exchange for having a truthful relationship with us.
This parable also points out that there will be many people on the outside when that door is shut who will beg and plead to be allowed in , but God will say "NO" to them. I want to emphasise that to the world these people will be good people...even to themselves they will wonder why they have been left out side? It will not be because they are bad, but because they never developed a relationship with God. It is this fact that is behind all of God's thoughts in returning for those who are His own; His greatest desire in the creation of mankind is to have a relationship with us that is so complete and so close that He can trust us without reservation. It is the same qualities that brought Jesus to choose the men He did for discipleship when He chose the 12; Honesty, Loyalty, and Love. We have long been told just about one half the story concerning the expectations that Christ will have on those whom He returns for in this world. The rest of the story is that He will be looking for the spiritual fruit that we have produced during our time here. It cannot be fake fruit in any way or plastic I.O.U's but real and good fruit. That fruit is not found just in good works but in our willingness to go ever deeper with our relationship with God.
This is not a theology or an idea of doctrine produced by some church concept or teaching...this is real; scriptural teaching that Christ gave us during those parables that we tend to skim over when we read them. We cannot afford to miss this truth of God's word to us because it is that truth that will allow us to really be transformed. Our responsibility is that of grow and transformation through the renewing and changing of our mind and heart. Where are you on this process in your life today? May you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
There are many parables which give warning of our need to deal with the second coming of Christ even before His death on the cross. These are not prophecies from Christ but genuine warnings to take action on our relationship opportunity with God before it is too late. Luke 13:24-30 is such a parable as it begins to warn us that it isn't easy to enter into the Kingdom; in fact there is a price to be paid. Jesus paid the price for our freedom from the power of sin to cause death and complete separation from God for all time; which was the enemies plan. The death and sacrifice of Jesus on the cross opened that door once again so that we might be able to seek after God's own heart just as Adam could. Jesus did not die to take all sin away from us ( that is a largely miss-understood statement) because we still have sin today probably more so than ever before in this world, but the power of sin to kill has been broken because we now have the mercy of Jesus Christ our Lord who can forgive sin. More than ever we are being shown God's heart to love and forgive us in exchange for having a truthful relationship with us.
This parable also points out that there will be many people on the outside when that door is shut who will beg and plead to be allowed in , but God will say "NO" to them. I want to emphasise that to the world these people will be good people...even to themselves they will wonder why they have been left out side? It will not be because they are bad, but because they never developed a relationship with God. It is this fact that is behind all of God's thoughts in returning for those who are His own; His greatest desire in the creation of mankind is to have a relationship with us that is so complete and so close that He can trust us without reservation. It is the same qualities that brought Jesus to choose the men He did for discipleship when He chose the 12; Honesty, Loyalty, and Love. We have long been told just about one half the story concerning the expectations that Christ will have on those whom He returns for in this world. The rest of the story is that He will be looking for the spiritual fruit that we have produced during our time here. It cannot be fake fruit in any way or plastic I.O.U's but real and good fruit. That fruit is not found just in good works but in our willingness to go ever deeper with our relationship with God.
This is not a theology or an idea of doctrine produced by some church concept or teaching...this is real; scriptural teaching that Christ gave us during those parables that we tend to skim over when we read them. We cannot afford to miss this truth of God's word to us because it is that truth that will allow us to really be transformed. Our responsibility is that of grow and transformation through the renewing and changing of our mind and heart. Where are you on this process in your life today? May you richly bless God through your life in Him.
THE UNWORTHY SERVANT
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